INTERNATIONAL  PEACE 

A STUDY  IN  CHRISTIAN  FRATERNITY 


PREPARED  BV 

NORMAN  E.  RICHARDSON 

In  collaboration  with  Francis  E.  Clark,  B.  S.  Winchester,  Charles  H. 
Levermore,  W.  K.  Thomas,  P.  H.  J.  Lerigo,  Charles  S.  Mac- 
farland,  Henry  H.  Meyer,  and  Frederica  Beard 


FOR  THE 

Commission  on  Christian  Education 

OF  THE 

Federal  Council  of  Churches  of  Christ  in  America 

COOPERATING  WITH 

The  Church  Peace  Union 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE 

COMMISSION  ON  CHRISTIAN  EDUCATION 

FEDERAL  COUNCIL  OF  CHURCHES 

105  EAST  22d  STREET,  NEW  YORK 


5 cents  per  copy 


$5.00  per  hundred  copies 


Copyright,  1915,  by 
NORMAN  E.  RICHARDSON. 


The  studies  here  presented  are  based  on  the  teachings  of  Jesus  concerning 
the  universal  brotherhood  of  man  and  the  world-wide  scope  of  the  Kingdom 
of  God.  They  are  intended  for  Senior  and  Adult  Bible  Classes,  Young  People’s 
Societies,  Missionary  and  Fraternal  Organizations,  and  other  interested  groups. 

The  Scripture  text  used  in  these  lessons  is  from  The  New  Testament  in 
Modern  Speech,  by  R.  F.  Weymouth.  It  is  used  by  permission  of  the  pub- 
lishers, James  Clarke  and  Co.,  London;  American  edition.  The  Pilgrim  Piess, 
Boston. 

Selected  Quotations  on  Peace  and  War — Under  this  title  there  is  offered  a 
larger  volume  containing  these  studies  in  more  complete  form,  together  with 
carefully  selected  quotations  bearing  upon  the  subject  of  each  separate  lesson. 
It  contains  more  than  300  pages,  and  is  offered  at  the  special  price  of  $1.00, 
postpaid. 

Address  all  orders  to  your  denominational  Publishing  House,  or  to  The 
Federal  Council  of  Churches,  105  East  22d  Street,  New  York. 


Author’s  Preface 

The  form  of  the  material  presented  in  the  following  studies  has  been  adopted  with  the  view 
of  helping  those  adults  who  are  interested  in  the  subject  and  who  desire  to  think  their  way  through 
it  to  arrive  at  some  satisfactory  conclusions.  A great  spiritual  emergency  has  arisen  in  the  history 
of  the  human  race.  Events  that  are  both  humiliating  and  alarming  have  forced  seriously  minded 
people  to  consider  the  conditions  of  permanent  international  goodwill.  A new  world-problem 
has  been  created  and  the  future  welfare  of  the  race  depends  upon  its  being  solved.  In  the  Prov- 
idence of  God  it  seems  to  be  the  duty  of  those  people  who  are  not  now  engaged  in  war,  and  who 
can  approach  the  question  with  a calm  mind,  to  try  to  find  out  upon  what  permanent  basis  inter- 
racial tranquillity  can  be  established. 

In  taking  up  what  seem  to  be  the  most  vital  aspects  of  the  problem,  it  is  seen  that  people 
living  in  Bible  times  were  brought  face  to  face  with  conditions  which,  in  many  respects,  are 
similar  to  those  of  the  present  day.  Under  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  arrived  at  cer- 
tain conclusions.  Inspired  writers  put  into  permanent  form  ideas  that  resulted  from  these  ancient 
experiences.  It  would  be  folly  to  try  to  think  one’s  way  through  the  present  problems  without 
going  to  the  Bible  for  its  message.  The  substantial  finality  of  the  principles  of  human  brother- 
hood as  presented  in  the  sacred  Scriptures  makes  them  the  most  valuable  source  of  study  ma- 
terial. Hence,  Bible  study,  in  this  sense,  has  been  kept  in  the  foreground  throughout  the  series. 

But  the  study  has  not  been  confined  to  the  Bible.  There  are  factors  involved  in  the  i)resent 
situation  that  need  to  be  understood.  Some  of  the  forces  now  at  work  are  new  and  they  must 
be  reckoned  with.  The  truths  of  the  Word  of  God  need  to  be  studied  in  the  light  of  the  twentieth 
century  state  of  affairs.  To  ignore  the  facts  and  events  included  in  the  present  commercial, 
social,  and  political  situation  would  be  to  leave  the  problem  unsolved.  In  the  endeavor  to  ar- 
rive at  conclusions  that  are  even  partially  satisfactory,  it  is  necessary  to  study  present-day  world 
conditions  in  the  light  of  the  Bible,  and  also  to  study  the  Bible  in  the  light  of  these  conditions. 

The  problem  of  interracial  good  will  is  ultimately  a religious  problem.  The  bonds  of  world- 
wide fraternity  must  have  some  content  and  sanction  that  go  beyond  the  range  of  economic 
interdependence  and  the  practical  advantages  of  commercial  cooperation.  In  the  hour  of  in- 
tense passion,  prudential  considerations  are  laid  aside.  Interracial  morality  is  as  dependent 
upon  religion  for  its  stability  as  is  the  morality  of  individuals.  The  universal  bonds  of  brother- 
hood receive  their  real  meaning  in  the  light  of  the  origin  and  the  destiny  of  the  race.  And  these 
are  not  simply  biological  questions.  They  are  religious. 

It  has  not  been  the  author’s  purpose  to  follow  out  all  of  the  implications  of  the  truths  pre- 
sented. No  attempt  has  been  made  to  make  an  exhaustive  study  of  the  problem  at  hand.  Ques- 
tions have  been  raised  and  purposely  left  unanswered.  It  is  hoped  that  each  one  who  studies 
the  lessons  will  give  independent  consideration  to  the  various  subjects  presented.  The  class 
discussions  will  bring  out  many  points  of  view  not  contained  in  the  printed  lesson.  Each  one 
should  strive  seriously  to  arrive  at  his  own  reason  for  belief  in  the  ultimate  and  permanent  tran- 
quillity of  the  nations. 

In  order  to  stimulate  worth-while  discussion  among  the  members  of  the  class,  questions 
have  been  introduced  at  appropriate  places  in  the  lesson  material.  It  is  believed  that  this  will 
be  one  of  the  most  valuable  features  of  the  course.  It  is  expected  that  points  of  view  that  are 
not  contained  in  the  printed  material  will  be  brought  out.  But  the  leader  of  the  class  should 
have  a care  lest  the  discussion  drift  away  from  the  main  point.  He  should  guide  it.  It  is  es- 
pecially urged  that  no  ardent  and  partisan  advocate  of  either  side  in  the  present  war  be  permitted 

3 


to  interfere  with  the  natural  development  of  the  theme  in  hand.  Toward  the  close  of  the  dis- 
cussion the  leader  should  gather  up  the  points  that  have  been  made  and  indicate  their  relations 
to  the  lesson  as  a whole. 

The  Weymouth  translation  of  the  New  Testament  passages  of  Scripture  has  been  used 
because  of  its  suggestiveness.  It  is  not  intended  that  it  will  supersede  any  other  accepted  version, 
or  in  any  way  throw  discredit  upon  them.  Its  freshness  and  vigor  make  it  serve  the  purpose  of 
a commentary. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  material  the  valuable  assistance  of  Miss  Frederica  Beard  is  grate- 
fully acknowledged,  Miss  Beard  having  prepared  the  material  contained  in  several  of  the  lessons. 
Without  the  assistance  of  the  members  of  the  staff  of  the  World  Peace  Foundation,  and  their 
generous  permission  to  use  a most  valuable  library,  the  task  could  not  have  been  undertaken. 
'I'he  members  of  the  Special  Committee  on  Peace  Instruction  of  the  Commission  on  Christian 
Education  of  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  namely.  Dr.  B.  S.  Win- 
chester, Dr.  Francis  E.  Clarke,  Dr.  Charles  H.  Levermore,  Dr.  W.  K.  Thomas,  and  Dr.  P.  H. 
Lerrigo,  have  considered  the  material  in  detail,  and  their  opinions  are  reflected  in  its  final  form. 
Dr.  Henry  H.  Meyer,  secretary  of  the  Commission  on  Christian  Education,  and  Dr.  B.  S.  Win- 
chester, of  the  Special  Committee  on  Peace  Instruction,  have  had  final  editorial  supervision  of 
the  manuscript  in  the  process  of  its  preparation.  They  have  been  in  full  sj^mpathy  with  the 
point  of  view  maintained  in  these  lessons  and,  at  the  same  time,  solicitous  that  the  method  of 
their  jiresentation  should  always  be  in  accordance  with  sound  educational  principles. 

On  the  basis  of  these  lessons,  there  has  been  prepared  a volume  of  carefully  chosen  selections 
from  the  writings  of  the  standard  authorities  on  the  subject  of  interracial  fraternity.  Only  that 
material  which  has  greatest  value  has  been  included.  Many  of  the  books  consulted  are  not 
available  to  the  leaders  of  the  classes.  And  even  if  they  were,  there  are  many  of  these  leaders 
who  would  not  have  the  time  to  consult  from  ten  to  thirty  books  in  getting  ready  to  teach  each 
lesson.  It  is  in  order  to  help  the  class  leader  to  find,  with  the  greatest  ease  and  convenience,  the 
very  best  thought  bearing  upon  each  lesson  that  “Studies  and  Selected  Readings  on  Interna- 
tional Peace”  has  been  jjrepared.  The  results  of  a vast  amount  of  labor  in  reading  the  hundreds 
of  books  that  have  l)ecn  written  on  this  subject  and  the  painstaldng  evaluation  of  their  con- 
tents is  here  placed  in  the  hand  of  the  busy  leader.  For  illustrative  material  he  should  consult 
this  book.  With  little  time  and  effort  he  may  become  well  informed  and  intelligently  enthusiastic 
concerning  the  message  of  each  lesson.  This  companion  volume  is  indispensable  to  the  leaders 
of  the  classes  studying  these  lessons. 

Nokma'n  E.  Richakdson. 


4 


INTERNATIONAL  PEACE 

A Study  in  Christian  Fraternity 

A Course  of  Thirteen  Lessons  Prepared  for  the  Commission  on 
Christian  Education  of  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of 
Christ  in  America,  Cooperating  with  the  Church  Peace  Union 

LESSONS  WRITTEN  BY 

NORMAN  E.  RICHARDSON,  Ph.D. 


Christianity  Breaks 
Through  the  Restric- 
tions of  Judaism, 


LESSON  ONE 

THE  CHRISTIAN  IDEAL  OF  WORLD-WIDE  FRATERNITY 
Study  Acts  10.  1-36 

It  should  be  kept  in  mind  that  Peter,  who  had  been  so  close  to  Jesus  and  who  had  preached, 
on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  the  sermon  so  signally  honored  of  God,  was  the  same  man  who  now 
receives  a pure-blooded  Itahan  into  the  Apostolic  Church.  The 
startling  fact  is  Peter’s  disregard  for  the  rites  of  Judaism.  Ancient 
traditions  were  broken  and  a new  precedent  established.  Cornelius 
was  received  without  his  having  to  comply  with  the  requirements 
which  the  Jews  had  always  made  of  those  who  became  proselytes  to 
their  faith.  It  was  simply  because  he  feared  God  and  lived  a good  life  that  this  new  convert  to 
Cluistianity  was  acceptable  unto  God  and  hence  was  worthy  to  be  received. 

This  incident  suggests  one  of  the  ideals  of  Christianity.  Peter  was  the  leading  apostle  among 
the  twelve.  Hq,  was  under  the  immediate  direction  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  As  a Jew,  he  would 

-Kra+innalitTr  hilt  naturally  have  had  intense  prejudice  against  a Gentile.  Before  the 
Men  Coming  of  Christ,  intimate  companionship  between  an  orthodox  Jew 
A VpTTtQhl’p  tn  PnH  Itahan  hail  been  unthinkable.  It  was  believed  that  tlie  spir- 

Acceptao  e t injury  resulting  from  such  social  contact  would  have  liecn  as 

great  as  would  the  physical  injury  to  one  eating  unclean  reptiles  and  birds.  But  as  a Christian, 
Peter  had  a new  standard  by  which  to  judge  men.  It  was  not  nationality  or  race,  but  goodness, 
that  made  men  acceptable  to  God,  and  hence  to  the  followers  of  Jesus.  Here  before  his  eyes  was 
a Gentile  receiving  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  becoming  an  inspired  witness  to  tlie  truth 
concerning  Jesus  Christ.  Thus,  Christianity,  at  its  very  beginning,  broke  away  from  race  preju- 
dice. On  the  basis  of  nationality,  no  chstinction  between  one  man  and  another  was  made. 

“A  Jew  is  strictly  forbidden  to  associate  with  a Gentile  or  visit  him;  but  God  has  taught 
me  to  call  no  one  unholy  or  unclean.”  What  a fundamental  change  took  place  in  Peter’s  atti- 
tude toward  those  whom  Judaism  had  taught  him  to  despise!  A new 
A New  Reverence,  reverence  for  man  was  necessary  before  the  leader  of  the  apostles  could 
associate  with  a Gentile.  Peter  was  coming  to  understand  the  value  of 
things  human.  He  had  made  the  discovery  that  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  was  not  confined  to 
those  of  one  favored  race.  God  came  and,  in  this  pecuhar  and  mysterious  sense,  took  up  his 
abode  in  the  heart  of  a “foreigner.”  Those  whom  God  had  thus  honored  were  not  to  be  de- 
spised by  any  man,  least  of  all  by  an  apostle.  How  could  one  who  looked  up  to  God  as  Father 
despise  or  injure  another  whose  spiritual  possibilities  were  equal  to  his  own’?  The  nearer  Peter 
came  to  God,  the  more  the  artificial  barriers  between  himself  and  men  of  other  nations  melted 
away. 

One  of  the  marked  characteristics  of  Judaism  had  been  its  deep-seated  prejudice  and  an- 
tipathies toward  the  Gentile.  The  Jew  Avas  exclusive  by  training  and  tradition.  He  was  apt  to 
look  with  contempt  upon  everything  outside  the  pale  of  Judaism. 
The  Jewish  Antipathy  He  was  taught  that  to  enter  the  house  of  a Gentile,  much  more  to 
for  the  Gentiles.  eat  at  a Gentile’s  table,  involved  ceremonial  uncleanness.  The  riche, st 

blessing  that  could  come  to  a Gentile  was  thought  to  be  his  becoming 
a proselyte  to  Judaism.  The  prophets  pictured  the  Gentile  workl  as  being  in  darkness,  waiting 
for  the  light  that  could  come  only  from  those  who  had  inherited  the  promise  to  Abraham.  Even 
the  disciples  of  Jesus  found  it  difficult  to  think  of  the  blessings  of  the  gospel  as  coming  to  the 
Gentiles  except  “through  the  portal  of  Judaism.”  How  far  does  this  ancient  Jew-isii  exclusive- 
ness account  for  the  widespread  hatred  of  the  Jews? 

The  difficulty  of  laying  aside  the  rites  and  customs  which  were  the  ouGvard  signs  of  ancient 
Jeivish  exclusiveness  is  vividly  reflected  in  the  dispute  between  Paul  and 
Paul  and  Peter.  Peter  at  Antioch.  (See  Gal.  11.  11-21.)  If  Christianity  had  retained  the 
forms  and  customs  of  Judaism,  what  would  have  been  the  proliable 
result?  Jesus  undertook  to  destroy  these  ancient  suspicions,  this  prejudice  and  interracial  hatred. 

5 


He  astonished  his  disciples  by  conversing  with  a woman  of  Samaria.  His  ministry  was  marked 
by  a breadth  of  sympathy  that  was  at  first  inexplicable  to  his  most  intimate 
Jesus’s  Breadth  associates.  “One  is  your  Father,  all  ye  are  brethren,”  he  said.  In  the  par- 
of  Sympathy.  able  of  the  good  Samaritan  he  taught  that  the  true  spirit  of  neighborliness 
disregards  the  artificial  barriers  of  race  or  creed.  It  embraces  all  men.  Human 
values  were  placed  above  all  accidents  of  birth  or  environment.  He  prayed  that  all  of  his  dis- 
ciples might  be  made  one.  And  this  oneness  he  explained  in  terms  of  his  own  relation  to  the 
Father.  He  died  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  Being  lifted  up,  he  said  that  he  would  draw  all 
men  unto  himself.  He  did  not  think  of  his  sheep  as  being  all  of  one  fold.  The  disciples  were 
commissioned  to  carry  the  good  news  to  all  nations.  In  the  picture  of  the  final  judgment  of  the 
world,  all  nations  are  gathered  before  him.  This  final  accounting  recognizes  only  goodness. 

While  it  was  Peter  who,  among  the  apostles,  was  first  to  realize  fully  the  true  value  of  those 
outside  of  Judaism,  it  was  Paul  whose  ministry  seemed  in  a peculiar  sense  to  be  dominated  by 
this  idea.  Though  a Pharisee  and  passionately  identifying  himself  with  all 
Paul  the  Apostle  the  traditions,  laws,  and  prejudices  of  his  narrow  sect,  though  intensely 
to  the  Gentiles.  provincial  and  consumed  by  hatred  of  those  who  dared  to  differ  from  the 
strict  interpretation  of  Judaism,  Paul  achieved,  under  the  guidance  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  breadth  of.  sympathy  and  outlook.  His  cosmopolitan  interests  widened  until  they 
included  not  only  Europe,  but  also  the  world-wide  Roman  empire. 

To  the  Ephesians  he  wrote:  “To  you  Gentiles  also,  to  you  God  has  given  life.”  He  class- 
ified liimself  with  the  Gentiles  with  respect  to  having  lived  a sinful  fife,  but  with  them  had  been 
brought  near  to  God  by  the  death  of  Jesus,  “For  he  is  our  peace” — He  who 
Jews  and  Gen-  has  made  Jews  and  Gentiles  one,  and  in  His  own  human  nature  has  broken 
tiles  Made  One.  down  the  hostile  dividing  wall  by  setting  aside  the  law,  with  its  command- 
ments, expressed,  as  they  were,  in  definite  decrees.  His  design  was  to  unite 
the  two  sections  of  humanity  in  himself  so  as  to  form  one  new  man,  thus  effecting  peace,  and  to 
reconcile  Jews  and  Gentiles  in  one  body  to  God  by  means  of  his  cross — slaying  by  it  their  mutual 
enmity.  So  he  came  and  proclaimed  good  news  of  “peace  to  you  that  were  far  off,  and  peace 
to  those  who  were  near;”  because  it  is  through  him  that  Jews  and  Gentiles  hlike  have  access 
through  one  Spirit  to  the  Father.  How  does  the  strength  of  this  religious  bond  compare  with 
that  of  natural  racial  antagonisms?  What  are  some  of  these  antagonisms? 

The  Christian  doctrine  of  God  the  Creator  was  referred  to  by  Paul  when,  addressing  the 
Athenians,  he  said;  “God,  who  made  the  universe  and  everything  in  it,  caused  to  spring  from 
one  forefather  people  of  every  race,  for  them  to  live  on  the  whole  sur- 
Christianity  and  face  of  the  earth.”  “For  we  are  also  his  offspring.”  Every  member  of 
the  Common  Origin  the  human  race  bears  the  image  of  God.  Fundamentally,  men  are 
of  Mankind.  alike;  God,  their  Creator,  is  one.  A common  Origin  is  revealed  in  the 

human  body  which  is  similar  in  structure,  constitution,  and  needs,  the 
world  over.  The  human  mind  answers  to  human  mind  in  every  climate,  latitude,  age,  or  race. 
The  differences  that  are  most  apparent  are  only  skin-deep.  All  human  hearts  recoil  at  pain  and 
grief;  all  human  life  expands  and  develops  in  the  presence  of  pleasure  or  joy.  Members  of  the 
human  race  are  universally  religious;  conscience  is  everywhere  found;  instincts  have  similar 
characteristics  wherever  they  appear  in  human  life.  The  oneness  of  the  Creator  is  reflected  in 
the  oneness  of  the  race.  To  what  extent  are  race  prejudices  instinctive? 

When  working  at  a common  task,  men  of  different  nations  come  to  be  warm  friends.  Their 
comradeship  is  hke  that  of  two  soldiers  who  have  lived  and  fought  together.  The  feeling  of 
brotherhood  is  often  most  intense  in  the  various  international  con- 
World-wide  Brother-  ferences  and  conventions.  Members  of  European  races,  coming  to 
hood  Practicable.  America,  absorb  the  American  spirit,  adopt  the  Western  ideals,  become 
naturalized  in  more  than  a merely  political  sense.  In  two  or  three 
generations  they  are  indistinguishable  from  other  Americans.  Common  environment  brings  out 
common  traits  of  character.  It  would  seem  that  all  of  the  meiribers  of  the  human  family  are  by 
nature  fitted  for  world-citizenship.  Is  the  Christian  ideal  of  world-wide  brotherhood  practicable? 

Oneness  of  origin  suggests  oneness  of  destiny.  There  is  one  far-off  divine  event  toward  which 
the  whole  human  family  moves.  The  common  task  of  establishing  the  kingdom  of  God  on  earth 
must  be  shared  by  ail.  Fundamental  unity  suggests  cooperation,  mutual 
Common  Father-  consideration,  brotherhood.  Love  of  a common  Father  leads  naturally 
hood  Implies  Com-  to  neighborliness.  These  two  ideas  lay  together  in  the  mind  of  Jesus, 
mon  Brotherhood.  He  considered  them  to  be  of  such  importance  that  he  presented  them  as 
divine  commandments  to  take  precedence  of  all  others.  “Other  command- 
ments greater  than  these  there  is  none.”  “Hear,  O Israel!  The  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord;  and 
thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  thy  whole  heart,  thy  whole  mind,  and  thy  whole  strength. 
The  second  is  this;  Thou  shalt  love  thy  fellowman  as  thou  lovest  thyself.” 

Like  the  cement  of  a great  building — holding  together  bricks  and  stones — the  common 
Fatherhood  of  God  makes  for  solidarity  and  coherence  in  the  human  race.  History  must  decide 
whether  the  centralizing  and  unifying  forces  are  stronger  than  any  divisive  tendencies  and 
whether  they  will  finally  prevail.  g 


LESSON  TWO 

DANGERS  IN  MODERN  NATIONALISM 
Study  Luke  10.  26-37 

The  parable  of  the  good  Samaritan  has  been  referred  to  as  a picture  of  spiritual  neighborli- 
ness. A neighbor  is  one  who  is  nigh  or  near  to  another.  In  the  parable  certain  men  are  set  forth 
as  being  unable  or  unwilling  to  come  sufficiently  near  to  one  in  need 
A Picture  of  Spir-  as  to  make  it  possible  for  them  to  help  him.  The  only  claim  that  the 
itual  Neighborliness.  man  in  distress  had  upon  the  priest  and  the  Levite  or  the  good  Samar- 
itan was  the  fact  that  he  was  simply  their  “fellow  man.”  The  priest 
and  the  Levite  probably  knew  how  to  draw  near  to  another  priest  or  Levite,  but  their  spiritual 
neighborliness  did  not  extend  to  one  who  was  simply  “fellow  man.”  Even  when  circumstances 
forced  them  to  come  into  the  immediate  presence  of  acute  human  need,  they  were  unable  to 
overcome  the  spiritual  barriers  which  they  had  erected  in  their  own  minds. 

We  do  not  know  who  this  unfortunate  man  was.  His  nationality  is  not  revealed.  But  for 
the  purpose  Jesus  had  in  mind  it  is  just  as  well  that  this  bit  of  information  is  not  given.  It  is 
enough  that  he  was  a man.  The  Master  proceeds  upon  the  supposition 
Including  One’s  that  a lack  of  spiritual  readiness  and  ability  to  give  aid  to  one’s  fellow  man 
Fellow  Man.  when  in  need  makes  one  unworthy  of  eternal  life.  The  plain  teaching  of  the 
parable  is  that  any  ^stem  of  beliefs  or  customs  or  habits  or  associations 
that  tends  to  separate  a man  from  his  fellow  human  beings  should  be  avoided.  It  is  breadth, 
not  narrowness,  of  sympathy  that  marks  the  one  who  keeps  the  second  great  commandment. 
The  priest  and  the  Levite  had  evidently  circumscribed  their  sentiments,  excluding  all  those  per- 
sons who  did  not  measure  up  to  certain  national,  racial,  or  religious  standards.  If  the  man  in 
need  had  been  a fellow  priest  or  a fellow  Levite,  how  easy  it  would  have  been  for  them  to  have 
helped  him!  But  because  he  was  only  their  fellow  man,  he  must  wait  for  some  one  whose  sym- 
pathies were  as  broad  and  inclusive  as  mankind. 

Psychologists  have  pointed  out  the  fact  that  one’s  loyalty  is  at  first  restricted  to  a com- 
paratively small  group.  The  boy  must  first  learn  to  be  loyal  to  his  gang  before  his  sympathy 
can  embrace  all  society.  Young  people  must  learn  to  love  their  partic- 
The  Principle  of  ular  church  and  denomination  before  they  can  identify  themselves,  in 

Expanding  Loyalty,  a spirit  of  intelligent  devotion,  with  all  of  Christendom.  Loyalty  is  as 
subject  to  development  as  is  intellect.  The  evident  difficulty  with  the 
priest  and  the  Levite  is  that  their  development  in  sentiment  had  been  arrested.  They  had  broad- 
ened out  to  a certain  limit  and  then  all  further  development  had  been  intensive.  They  had  come 
to  have  a higher  and  higher  regard  for  priests  and  Levites,  but  with  that  growing  intensity  there 
had  come  a spirit  of  exclusiveness  which  at  last  made  it  impossible  for  them  to  lend  a hand  to 
anyone  outside  of  their  own  set.  How  can  an  individual  overcome  the  prejudices  of  childhood? 

In  this  parable,  Jesus  points  out  the  moral  injury  that  results  when  a man’s  sympathies 
become  narrowed.  Both  priest  and  Levite  seem  powerless  to  help  one  who  is  outside  of  their 

own  small  circles,  even  though  that  one  is  immediately  before 
The  Peril  of  Disre-  them  and  is  suffering  both  physical  pain  and  mental  distress, 

garding  Common  Bonds.  They  have  disregarded  the  common  bonds  uniting  them  to  their 

fellow  men.  The  result  is  an  attitude  of  indifference  that,  in  this 
instance,  amounts  to  heartlessness  and  cruelty.  Narrowness  reveals  the  presence  of  selfishness. 
And  selfishness  is  not  content  until  it  has  made  bitter  the  springs  of  human  kindness.  The  true 
follower  of  Jesus  Christ  discovers  ever-widening  bonds  uniting  him  to  the  other  members  of  the 
great  human  family. 

The  question  naturally  arises.  Is  there  ever  any  justification  for  a narrowing  of  this  feeling 
of  brotherhood?  Love  of  God  tends  to  intensify  and  broaden  it.  Are  there  any  Christian  duties 
or  responsibilities  which  have  a tendency  to  make  it  narrow?  Why  is 
Tribal  Loyalty  it  that  Jesus  did  not  add  to  his  two  great  commandments  a third,  namely, 

vs.  Thou  shalt  love  thine  own  country  more  dearly  than  any  other?  Does 

Faith  in  Humanity,  true  patriotism  involve  an  antagonistic  attitude  toward  nations  other 
than  one’s  own?  If  the  principle  emphasized  in  the  parable  of  the  good 
Samaritan  as  applicable  to  individuals  can  be  applied  to  nations  as  well,  then  why  should  not 
this  new  commandment  read.  Thou  shalt  love  every  other  nation  as  thou  lovest  thine  own.  Chris- 
tian patriotism  involves  more  than  willingness  to  die  for  one’s  country  in  case  war  is  declared. 

Love  of  one’s  own  country  does  not  involve  hatred  of  all  countries  other  than  one’s  own. 
To  appreciate  the  land  of  one’s  birth  it  is  not  necessary  to  despise  aU  other  lands.  An  American 
is  no  more  truly  loyal  to  America  because  he  speaks  contemptuously  of  France  or  Austria.  To 

despise  the  Rhine  does  not  help  one  to  appreciate  the  Hudson. 
Patriotism  Both  Provin-  “The  patriotic  Englishman  is  no  traitor  to  Wordsworthshire  be 
cial  and  Cosmopolitan.  cause  he  loves  the  lakes  and  mountains  of  Italy  and  Switzerland.” 

Egotism  is  no  more  a sign  of  greatness  in  a nation  than  in  an  indi- 
vidual, German  citizenship  does  not  detract  from  world-citizenship  any  more  than  does  citi- 

7 


zenship  in  Massachusetts  detract  from  that  in  the  United  States.  Love  of  one's  country  is 
not  incompatible  with  love  of  every  other  country.  Hostility  to  another  nation  is  not  involved 
in  loyalty  to  one’s  own.  Patriotism  can  be  both  provincial  and  cosmopolitan.  Can  a man  be 
patriotic  under  three  flags?  What  are  the  essential  characteristics  of  world  citizenship? 

The  inhumanity  of  the  nation  that  maintains  a military  policy  suggests  that  of  the  priest 
and  Levite  in  their  relation  to  the  man  in  need.  There  are  those  who  assert  that  a nation,  in 
order  to  preserve  itself,  must  rely  upon  a great  navy  and  army.  But 
A False  Theory  of  what  is  involved  in  such  a policy?  Within  the  past  thirty  years  the 
National  Greatness.  United  States  has  spent  one  thousand  million  dollars  on  her  navy  alone. 

It  has  been  pointed  out  b}-  Dr.  Charles  E.  Jefferson  that  during  that 
time  millions  of  acres  of  desert  land  have  been  waiting  for  an  adequate  plan  of  irrigation,  millions 
of  acres  of  swamp  land  should  have  been  drained,  harbors  should  have  been  deepened,  and  forests 
safeguarded.  There  are  “pests,  implacalrlc  and  terrible,  like  the  gypsy  moth,  and  plagues  like 
tuberculosis,  for  whose  extermination  millions  of  money  are  needed  at  once.  But  the  necessary 
money  has  not  been  available  because  of  a false  theory  of  national  greatness.  The  nation  that 
turns  aside  from  its  thousands  of  tubercular  citizens,  from  its  p(jor  who  live  in  malarial  districts, 
that  it  may  prepare  itself  needlessly  for  aggressive  hostilities  against  other  nations,  is  open  to 
the  charge  of  both  neghgence  and  cruelty.”  llow  docs  the  commandment  “Thou  shalt  not  kill” 
apply  to  nations? 

Because  there  are  some  forms  of  nationalism  that  are  morally  dangerous,  it  does  not  follow 
that  all  love  of  one’s  country  should  be  renounced.  'On  the  contrary,  it  is  doubtful  if  an  ade- 
quately intelligent  appreciation  of  other  nations  is  possible  unless  there 
The  Moral  Value  of  is  first  of  all  an  intelligent  loyalty  to  one’s  own.  The  ordinary  indi- 
True  Patriotism.  vidual  is  unaljle  at  first  to  gather  up  within  the  range  of  his  patriotism 
all  of  the  nations  of  earth.  But  familiarity  with  the  history  of  his  own, 
admiration  for  its  natural  beauties,  faith  in  its  stability,  enthusiasm  for  its  high  mission  among 
the  nations  of  earth,  readiness  to  make  personal  sacrifices  for  the  welfare  of  fellow  citizens — all 
this  helps  the  individual  whose  sympathies  are  broad  to  respect  other  nations  and  to  reverence 
their  sacred  institutions.  To  understand  the  forces  that  bind  the  people  of  one  nation  together 
helps  one  to  appreciate  the  bonds  of  international  fraternity. 

A careful  distinction  should  be  made  between  false  and  true  patriotism.  One  consists  largely 
in  the  singing  of  national  hymns,  saluting  the  flag,  faithful  observance  of  all  national  festivals, 
and  the  willingness  to  take  up  arms  in  defense  of  the  national  honor.  The 
True  and  False  other  is  no  less  ready  to  salute  the  flag  and  celebrate  the  anniversaries  of  im- 
Patriotism.  portant  events  in  the  history  of  the  nation,  but  all  of  these  forms  of  expres- 
sion do  not  take  the  place  of  the  bonds  uniting  it  to  those  of  other  nations. 
True  patriotism  does  not  take  pleasure  in  the  advancement  of  one  nation  at  the  expense  of  an- 
other. It  is  rather  permeated  with  the  Christian  ideal  of  greatness  as  consisting  in  service.  True 
patriotism  is  not  without  reverence  for  other  nations.  It  is  liroadly  human.  It  reflects  the  spirit 
of  the  good  Samaritan  rather  than  that  of  the  priest  or  Levite.  It  is  ready  to  lend  a helping  hand 
to  members  of  other  nations  as  well  as  to  those  of  its  own.  A man’s  love  for  his  home  should  add 
to,  rather  than  detract  from,  his  love  for  the  community  in  which  that  home  is  located.  Why 
is  pride  in  national  character  safer  than  pride  in  national  possessions? 

Love  of  country  or  devotion  to  its  interests  involves  so  many  things  that  very  often  its 
moral  aspects  are  lost  sight  of.  The  patriotic  sentiment  easily  interferes  with  a calm  study  of 
the  issues  involved.  Citizens  do  not  always  stop  to  think  whether  or  not 
Dangers  Involved  a course  of  action  proposed  by  their  government  is  right.  The  duty  of 
In  a Superficial  citizenship  does  not  demand  the  enthusiastic  and  thoughtless  approval  of 
Love  of  Country,  every  act  committed  by  one’s  nation.  The  true  patriot  should  be  ready 
to  point  out  errors  in  national  policies.  This  higher  love  of  country  re- 
quires more  courage  and  self-sacrifice;  it  may  involve  temporary  unpopularity  or  possible  mis- 
understanding. Popular  sentiment  may,  for  a time,  turn  against  it.  But  a nation  is  no  better, 
morally,  than  the  moral  quality  of  its  citizens.  The  policies  of  any  government  involve  many 
facts  and  jirinciples.  The  danger  is  that  moral  implications  may  be  lost  sight  of  when  love  of 
country  is  thought  to  involve  an  easy  acquiescence  in  every  national  act. 

“What  we  want  is  an  active  class  who  will  insist  in  season  and  out  of  season  that  we  shall 
have  a country  whose  greatness  is  measured  not  only  by  its  square  miles,  its  number  of  yards 
woven,  of  hogs  packed,  of  bushels  of  wheat  raised;  not  only  by  its 
How  to  Avoid  the  skill  to  feed  and  clothe  the  body,  but  also  by  its  power  to  feed  and 
Dangers  of  clothe  the  soul;  a country  which  shall  be  as  great  morally  as  it  is  ma- 

Modern  Nationalism,  terially;  a country  whose  very  name  shall  not  only,  as  now  it  does, 
stir  us  as  with  the  sound  of  a trumpet,  but  shall  call  out  all  that  is 
best  within  us  by  offering  us  the  radiant  image  of  something  better  and  nobler  and  more  enduring 
than  we,  of  something  that  shall  fulfill  our  own  thwarted  aspiration,  when  we  are  but  a handful 
of  forgotten  dust  in  the  soil  trodden  by  a race  whom  we  shall  have  helped  to  make  more  worthy 
of  their  inheritance”  (James  Russell  Lowell). 


8 


LESSON  THREE 

THE  CHARACTER  AND  CAUSES  OF  WAR 
Study  Matt.  6.  21-26,  38-42 

War  has  been  defined  as  “a  properly  conducted  contest  of  armed  public  forces”  (Interna- 
tional Law:  Wilson  and  Tucker).  It  “is  not  the  mere  employment  of  forces,  but  the  existence  of 
the  legal  condition  of  things  in  which  rights  are  or  may  be  prosecuted  by  force. 
What  Is  War?  Thus,  if  two  nations  declare  war  one  against  the  other,  war  exists  though  no 
force  whatever  may  as  yet  have  been  employed.  On  the  other  hand,  force  may 
be  employed  by  one  nation  against  another  as  in  the  case  of  reprisals,  and  yet  no  state  of  war  may 
arise.  In  such  a case  there  may  be  said  to  be  an  act  of  war,  but  no  state  of  war.  . . . When 
a state  of  war  supervenes,  third  parties  become  subject  to  the  performance  of  the  duties  of  neu- 
trahty,  as  well  as  to  all  the  inconveniences  that  result”  (International  Law  Digest:  Moore). 
The  appeal  to  force  is  the  essential  element  in  war.  The  avowed  intention  to  use  force  creates 
a state  of  war. 

Peace  is  a state  of  tranquillity  between  public  bodies.  It  may  exist  as  the  result  of  political 
agreements  or  of  military  exhaustion.  Usually,  however,  peace  rests  upon  mutual  respect  and 
mutual  understanding.  As  such  it  may  be  considered  the  moral  or  natural 
What  Is  Peace?  state  of  relations  between  bodies  of  men  who  have  advanced  beyond  the  prim- 
itive conditions  of  savagery  or  barbarism.  Generally  it  represents  a public 
state  of  mind  that  is  characterized  by  deliberation  rather  than  impulsiveness.  There  may  be 
present  an  occasion  for  a declaration  of  war,  the  instinctive  impulses  to  begin  a contest  of  armed 
forces  may  struggle  for  expression,  but  they  are  held  in  check.  Peace  is  sometimes  defined  as 
“the  duration  of  law;  the  absence  of  violence  in  social  and  political  relations.” 

When  a nation  undertakes  to  settle  its  differences  with  another  nation  by  the  use  of  armed 
pubhc  forces,  where  do  these  “forces”  come  from  and  what  are  they?  The  call  to  arms  is  not 
sent  out  to  nonhuman  beings  who  have  nothing  to  do  with  factories. 
War  As  An  Eco-  farms,  and  fisheries.  It  is  sounded  in  the  ears  of  men,  wage-earners, 
nomic  Disturbance,  fathers  who  by  daily  toil  support  their  families.  The  workshop  closes 
when  the  war  opens.  Labor  is  diverted  from  its  ordinary  tasks  and 
is  used  for  nonproductive  ends.  The  works  of  pubhc  utility  must  wait  while  the  “public 
forces”  are  carrying  arms.  A piece  of  steel  cannot  be  a sword  and  a plowshare  at  the  same  time. 
The  hand  that  holds  the  sword  cannot  grasp  the  plow  handle.  And  so  want  makes  its  appear- 
ance, and  with  it  exorbitant  prices  for  food  and  clothing.  Money  is  raised  by  the  creation  of 
public  debts — only  thus  can  the  army  be  clothed  and  fed.  War  materials  are  costly.  The  eco- 
nomic disturbance  lasts  years  after  the  war  has  come  to  a close. 

In  order  to  make  these  armed  human  forces  highly  efficient  according  to  the  standards  of 
warfare,  it  is  necessary  to  supply  suitable  motives.  For  this  purpose,  the  motives  that  are  found 
during  times  of  peace  are  for  the  most  part  inconsistent.  They  have  to  be 
War  As  a Moral  supplanted  by  others,  more  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  war.  To  bring 
Disturbance.  this  about,  public  officials  and  others  devise  various  means — frequently 
making  use  of  deliberate  misrepresentations  of  facts.  The  desired  motives 
are  supplied  with  greatest  ease  in  an  atmosphere  of  ignorance  and  suspicion.  Reference  is  made 
to  “hostile  forces”  or  “the  enemy.”  The  dangers  that  threaten  the  nation  are  magnified.  Love 
of  fellow  man,  the  feeling  of  human  solidarity,  mutual  confidence  and  respect,  are  banished,  and 
in  their  places  are  engendered  international  hatred,  brutality,  vengeance,  greed,  deceit,  treachery, 
cruelty.  The  moral  disturbance  of  war  is  so  great  that  it  has  been  described  as  the  negation  of 
civilization,  as  a reversal  to  savagery,  or  as  a breaking  down  of  the  social  sentiments  which  have 
been  built  up  during  years  of  peace. 

War,  to  be  carried  on  with  greatest  success,  involves  a long  period  of  preparation.  The 
material  aspects  of  this  preparation,  such  as  the  building  of  gunboats,  fortresses,  and  arsenals, 
the  training  of  young  men  in  the  art  of  war  and  the  maintenance  of  mil- 
In  Time  of  Peace  itary  academies,  all  serve  to  keep  before  the  public  the  possibility  of  there 
Prepare  for  War.  being  an  economic  and  a moral  disturbance  at  some  future  time.  Thus 
preparation  for  war  increases  the  probability  of  war.  Give  other  reasons 
why  this  is  true.  Ideas  are  forces  leading  to  action.  Peaceful  ideas  lead  to  peaceful  actions. 
The  time  of  peace  presents  opportunities  for  travel,  commerce,  and  other  methods  of  cultivating 
mutual  understanding  and  appreciation.  Then  it  is  that  schools,  industries,  churches,  homes, 
and  public  museums  are  built  up,  profiting  not  a little  from  the  influences  that  come  from  other 
nations.  If,  during  such  a period  of  peace,  militarists  successfully  advocate  extensive  prepara- 
tions for  war,  they  not  only  Increase  economic  burdens,  but  also  blur  the  visions  of  others. 

One  of  the  fruitful  causes  of  war  is  the  passion  for  power.  There  are  many  forms  in  which 
this  passion  finds  expression.  It  may  appear  as  an  attempt  to  gain  more  territory,  to  get  con- 
trol of  a river  or  a harbor,  or  to  exercise  authority  over  a weaker  nation.  Channing  said  that 
the  type  of  ambition  which  chiefly  covets  power  over  fellow  creatures  has  in.stigated  more  crime 
and  spread  more  misery  than  any  other  cause.  Is  this  true?  When  the  motive  of  conquest 

9 


is  that  of  awakening,  enlightening,  or  elevating  those  of  another  and  more 
The  Passion  backward  nation,  giving  them  liberty  and  self-government  as  soon  as  they  are 
for  Power.  prepared  to  undertake  such  responsibilities,  moral  elements  may  easily  be  found. 

But  such  international  magnanimity  does  not  usually  cause  a nation  to  appeal 
to  armed  forces.  The  passion  for  domination  is  more  apt  to  lead  to  pillage  and  butchery  than 
to  the  restoration  of  family  and  other  social  ties  and  the  building  up  of  public  institutions  hav- 
ing as  their  end  the  welfare  of  the  conquered  people. 

A passion  for  power  on  the  part  of  an  individual  or  a small  group  of  individuals  is  only  one 
of  many  miworthy  motives  that  have  led  to  war.  Revenge  has  been  passed  on  from  generation 
to  generation  in  a royal  family.  Fear  or  hatred  between  individuals  has 
Various  Causes  plunged  empires  into  gigantic  schemes  of  destruction  and  death.  Petty 
of  War.  personal  jealousies  sometimes  assume  pohtical  and  even  international  signifi- 

cance. The  actual  occasions  of  war  are  often  absurdly  inadequate.  A dip- 
lomat makes  a mistake,  and,  rather  than  face  public  humiliation,  resorts  to  methods  that  involve 
the  economic  and  moral  injury  of  his  country.  The  rash  precipitation  of  actual  hostihties  has 
sometimes  been  the  cause  of  an  otherwise  unnecessary  war.  Sensational  newspapers  and  mag- 
azines tend  to  create  public  sentiment  in  favor  of  armed  hostihty  by  exaggeration,  distortion, 
and  other  misrepresentation  of  facts.  Army  officials  who  are  ignorant  of  the  total  human  and 
economic  cost  of  war  urge  the  settlement  of  international  questions  by  an  appeal  to  force  with 
as  much  complacency  as  though  might  could  make  right. 

The  true  moral  character  of  war  is  more  clearly  seen  when  it  is  studied  in  the  light  of  the 
teacliings  of  Christianity.  One  of  the  fundamental  principles  laid  down  by  Jesus  Christ  is  that 
human  life  is  sacred.  The  Christian  spirit  of  love  includes  enemies  as  well 
War  In  the  Light  as  friends.  All  human  life  is  too  sacred  to  be  destroyed.  Peacemakers 
of  Christianity.  are  looked  upon  with  high  favor.  Love  and  service  are  set  forth  as  the 
true  methods  of  conquest.  True  greatness  is  measured  by  service. 

Some  of  the  most  significant  utterances  of  Jesus  indicating  his  attitude  toward  those  con- 
ditions without  which  war  would  be  impossible  are  found  in  the  sermon  on  the  mount.  In  Matt. 

5.  21-26,  38-42  we  read:  “You  have  heard  that  it  was  said  to  the  an- 
Anger  and  Murder,  cients,  ‘Thou  shalt  not  commit  murder,’  and  whoever  commits  murder 
will  be  answerable  to  the  magistrates.  But  I say  to  you  that  every  one 
who  becomes  angry  with  his  brother  shall  be  answerable  to  the  magistrate;  that  whoever  says 
to  his  brother,  ‘Raca’,  shall  be  answerable  to  the  Sanhedrin;  and  that  whoever  says,  ‘You  fool!’ 
shall  be  liable  to  the  Gehenna  of  Fire.  If,  therefore,  when  you  are  offering  your  gift  upon  the 
altar,  you  remember  that  your  brother  has  a grievance  against  you,  leave  your  gift  there  before 
the  altar,  and  go  and  make  friends  with  your  brother  first,  and  then  return  and  proceed  to  offer 
your  gift.  Come  to  terms  without  delay  with  your  opponent  while  you  are  yet  with  him  on  the 
way  to  the  court,  for  fear  he  should  obtain  judgment  from  the  magistrate  against  you,  and  the 
magistrate  should  give  you  in  custody  to  the  officer  and  you  be  thrown  into  prison.  I solemnly 
tell  you  that  you  will  certainly  not  be  released  till  you  have  paid  the  very  last  farthing.” 

“You  have  heard  that  it  was  said,  ‘Eye  for  eye,  tooth  for  tooth,’  but  I tell  you  not  to  resist 
a wicked  man,  but  if  anyone  strikes  you  on  the  right  cheek,  turn  the  other  to  him  as  well.  If 
anyone  wishes  to  go  to  law  with  you  and  to  deprive  you  of  your  under  garment. 
All  Revenge  let  him  take  your  outer  one  also.  And  whoever  shall  compel  you  to  convey  his 
Forbidden.  goods  one  mile,  go  with  him  two.  To  him  who  asks,  give;  from  him  who  would 
borrow,  turn  not  away.”  Is  the  New  Testament  teaching  concerning  peace  and 
war  morally  higher  than  that  of  the  Old  Testament?  Is  it  possible  for  a Christian  nation  to  adopt 
a standard  that  is  higher  than  its  surrounding  nations? 

In  these  jjassages  of  Scripture  Christ  intended  to  denounce  murder  and  the  motives  that  lie 
back  of  it.  “Come  to  terms  without  delay  with  your  opponent”  is  consistent  with  his  entire 
message  of  peace.  “Make  friends  with  your  brother  first”  and  then 
Christ  Teaching  offer  your  sacrifice  to  God  is  but  the  natural  application  of  his  great 
Concerning  Hatred  law  of  love.  Those  who  instigate  war  plainly  contradict  the  teachings  of 
and  Revenge.  Christ.  War  involves  motives  that  are  selfish,  brutal,  murderous.  War 

is  plain  murder,  but  on  a grand  scale.  It  legalizes  killing,  but,  even  though 
legalized,  wars  of  aggression  cannot  become  either  moral  or  Christian.  God  is  not  always  on  the 
side  of  the  strongest  battalions.  The  airpeal  to  arms  is  not  an  appeal  to  justice.  The  Christian 
commandment  is  that  man  should  love  Iris  fellow  man — to  hate  him  is  sin.  Christ  teaches  that 
not  only  the  outward  act  of  committing  murder,  but  also  the  inner  heart  attitude  of  hatred,  is 
forbidden.  If  this  law  applies  to  individuals,  should  it  also  apply  as  well  to  groups  of  individuals, 
whether  a community  or  a nation?  The  old  law  of  revenge,  ‘Eye  for  eye,  tooth  for  tooth,”  ap- 
pealed to  by  either  an  individual  or  a nation,  is  inconsistent  with  the  Christian  religion. 

War  is  coming  to  be  looked  upon  as  distinctively  antisocial.  The  welfare  of  the  race  involves 
the  solidarity  of  the  race.  When  one  nation  inflicts  an  injury  upon  another,  both  victor  and  van- 
quished are  injured.  Righteous  ends  may  be  sought  by  the  use  of  unrighteous  methods.  Can  the 
end  ever  justify  the  means? 


10 


LESSON  FOUR 

THE  CONSEQUENCES  OF  WAR 
Study  Lev.  19.  18;  Gal.  6.  13-16 

Various  attempts  have  been  made  to  estimate  the  total  cost  of  war.  Frequently  the  results 
of  such  efforts  have  led  to  admissions  that  it  is  impossible  to  reckon  the  awful  bill  in  its 
entirety.  For  war  destroys  life  as  well  as  property,  homes  as  well  as  houses, 
Counting  the  social  as  well  as  industrial  wealth.  War  inflicts  injury  upon  the  soul  as  well  as 
Whole  Cost.  upon  the  body  of  a nation.  It  increases  burdens  and  decreases  the  power  to 
carry  them.  The  tasks  of  reconstruction  that  follow  a period  of  active  hostile 
engagements  are  taken  up  with  a sense  of  moral  as  well  as  economic  poverty — for  the  losses  are 
heart  losses.  To  count  the  whole  cost,  it  is  necessary  to  know  all  about  the  hves  of  those  who 
were  Idlled  or  injured  and  of  those  who  were  left  to  carry  on  the  nation’s  work, — all  about  their 
interests  and  ideals  as  well  as  their  material  possessions. 

In  modern  warfare  there  has  been  an  attempt  to  decrease  the  destruction  of  property.  Private 
property  on  land  and  sea  is  coming  in  many  quarters  to  be  looked  upon  as  “immune  from  seizure 
and  destruction.”  The  unnecessary  destruction  of  buildings  is  avoided  in 
Money  and  warfare  that  is  carried  on  under  the  latest  international  agreements.  This 
Property  Loss,  effort  to  protect  property,  however,  emphasizes  the  thoroughly  destructive 
character  of  war.  “General  Sherman  estimated  that  property  to  the  amount 
of  at  least  tlwee  hundred  millions  of  dollars  was  destroyed  outright  by  his  army  during  the  march 
to  the  sea?”  Forty  thousand  millions  of  dollars  is  a sum  so  vast  that  the  mention  of  it  leaves 
only  a confused  impression  upon  the  mind.  But  that  is  about  what  the  nations  have  paid  in 
sohd  cash  in  a single  century  for  the  foUy  and  wickedness  of  their  quarrels  and  fighting,  their 
mutual  injustices  and  slaughters”  (The  Cost  of  War,  by  Benjamin  F.  Trueblood). 

With  the  rapid  and  extensive  development  of  world-commerce  and  the  resulting  complexity 
in  the  arteries  of  trade,  the  importance  of  trade  routes  has  been  greatly  increased.  Every  great 
nation,  such  as  Great  Britain,  United  States,  Germany,  Russia,  or  France 
Trade  Routes  and  is  coming  to  be  more  and  more  “dependent  upon  either  the  control  or 
Their  Importance,  the  neutrahty  of  international  trade  routes.  They  are  needed,  first,  for 
security;  second,  for  growth;  and  third,  for  the  necessities  and  comforts 
of  its  own  people.”  The  ocean  highways  have  become  as  important  to  the  nation  as  are  the 
arteries  to  the  body.  These  important  trade  routes,  over  which  come  many  of  the  necessities  of 
a nation’s  life,  are  usually  among  the  first  to  be  injured  by  war. 

The  consequences  of  war  include  the  decreased  reproductive  powers  of  the  generation  in- 
volved. When  a nation  faces  a danger  that  threatens  its  hfe,  it  is  the  men  who  are  physically 
perfect,  and  especially  the  young  men  who  have  not  yet  become  fathers. 
Decreased  Repro-  whose  hves  are  exposed.  In  the  North  Carolina  room  of  the  Confederate 
ductive  Power.  Museum  in  Richmond,  Va.,  the  following  statement  appears  in  large  type: 

“With  a voting  population  of  115,000,  North  Carolina  contributed  125,000 
soldiers  to  the  Confederate  service.”  It  is  not  until  the  young  and  physically  perfect  soldier  has 
been  sacrificed  that  the  older  men  and  those  short  of  stature  or  physically  imperfect  are  accepted. 
The  first  to  fall  are  the  ones  that  the  nation  can  least  afford  to  lose.  The  morally  and  physically 
inferior  men  are  left  behind  to  pass  on  the  torch  of  life  to  a coming  generation.  Thus  their  own 
inferiority  becomes  fastened  upon  the  national  stock.  No  matter  what  acquisitions  of  territory 
result  from  war,  the  price  of  victory  is  too  high.  It  is  not  enough  to  look  upon  the  young  soldier 
as  an  individual.  He  is  potentially  the  head  of  a family.  The  reproductive  power  of  a nation 
is  decreased  numerically,  devitahzed  physically,  and  degenerated  morally  by  war. 

This  inquiry  strikes  at  the  very  lifeblood  of  the  nation.  If  children  are  not  well  born  they 
are  permanently  handicapped.  No  subsequent  training  can  make  up  for  a defective  inheritance. 

It  is  well  said  that  when  God  wants  to  make  a man  he  begins  with  the  great- 
Some  Economic  grandparents.  The  economic  losses  resulting  from  war  consist  not  only  in 
Consequences.  the  buildings  wrecked,  the  commerce  destroyed,  and  the  business  deranged, 
but  also  in  the  buildings  not  yet  erected,  the  commerce  not  yet  developed, 
and  the  business  not  yet  built  up.  If  the  million  men  lost  in  the  Civil  War — most  of  them  young, 
vigorous,  and  enterprising — had  been  spared  to  throw  their  energy  into  the  development  of  the 
great  untamed  West  and  North  and  South — what  might  have  been! 

Paul  judged  things  by  their  consequences.  He  had  a vision  of  the  abundant,  the  rich,  and 
fuU  human  life  that  was  worthy  of  his  intimacy  with  Jesus.  To  conserve  man’s  largest  possi- 
bilities was  the  superb  aim  of  all  his  toil.  His  direct  and  vigorous  attack  upon 
Judging  sin  was  in  the  interest  of  this  larger  life.  After  wide  experience  and  observa- 

Consequences.  tion  and  familiarity  with  a splendid  moral  and  religious  inheritance,  he  was  of 
the  conviction  that  life’s  most  precious  possessions  are  not  material.  They 
are  spiritual.  It  is  because  war  is  a vivid  and  tangible  expression  of  spiritual  forces  that  lie 
beneath  the  surface  that  Paul’s  messsage  to  the  Galatians  is  so  pertinent. 

“You,  however,  brethren,  were  called  to  freedom.  Only  do  not  turn  your  freedom  into  an 

11 


excuse  for  giving  away  to  your  lower  natures;  but  become  bondservants  to  one  another  in  a 
spirit  of  love.  For  the  entire  law  has  been  obeyed  when  you  have  kept  the 
“Love  Restrains  single  i^recejit  which  says,  ‘You  are  to  love  your  fellow  man  equally  with 
from  War  Those  yourself  (Lev.  19.  18).  But  if  you  are  perpetually  snarling  and  snapping 
Who  are  Free.”  at  one  another,  beware  lest  you  are  destroyed  by  one  another.  Tliis  is  what 
1 mean.  Let  your  lives  be  guided  by  the  ISpirit,  and  then  you  will  certainly 
not  indulge  the  cravings  of  your  lower  natures.  For  the  cravings  of  the  lower  nature  are  opposed 
to  those  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  cravings  of  the  Spirit  are  opposed  to  those  of  the  lower  nature; 
because  these  are  antagonistic  to  each  other,  so  that  you  cannot  do  everything  to  which  you  are 
inclined.  But  if  the  Spirit  is  leading  you,  you  are  not  subject  to  law.  'Now  you  know  fuU  well 
the  doings  of  our  lower  natures.  Fornication,  impurity,  indecency, 
The  Outcome  of  idol  worship,  sorcery,  enmity,  strife,  jealousy,  outbursts  of  passion, 

Man’s  Sinful  Nature,  intrigues,  dissensions, -factions,  cnvyings;  harcl  drinldng,  riotous  feast- 
ing, and  the  hkc.  And  as  to  these  I forewarn  you,  as  1 have  already 
forewarned  you,  that  those  who  arc  guilty  of  such  things  will  have  no  share  in  the  kingdom  of 
God.  The  Sjhrit,  on  the  other  hand,  firings  a harvest  of  love,  joy,  peace;  patience  toward  others, 
kindness,  fienevolence;  good  faith,  meekness,  self-restraint.  Against  such  things  as  these  thei'e 
is  no  law.  Now  those  who  belong  to  Christ  Jesus  have  crucified  their  lower  nature  with  its  pas- 
sions and  appetites.  If  we  are  living  fiy  the  Spirit’s  power,  let  our  conduct  also  be  governed  by 
the  Spirit’s  jicwer.  Let  us  not  become  vainglorious,  challenging  one  another,  envying  one  an- 
other.”— Gal.  5.  1.3-26. 

The  result  of  snarling  and  snapping  is  destruction.  By  war  property  is  destroyed,  the  body 
is  mangled,  character  is  injured,  amd  future  generations  arc  lilightcd.  It  is  with  the  last  of  these 
especially  that  Paul  is  concerned.  When  the  cravings  of  the  lower  nature  are 
Destroyed  by  indulged,  the  guidance  of  the  Spirit,  which  otherwise  would  bring  a harvest  of 
One  Another,  love,  joy,  peace,  is  lost.  The  one  whose  conduct  is  not  governed  by  the  Spirit’s 
power  is  in  need  of  being  forewarned.  For  the  resulting  enmity,  strife,  jealousy, 
outbursts  of  passion,  intrigues,  dissensions,  factions,  envyings,  shut  one  out  from  having  a share 
in  the  kingdom  of  God.  The  moral  breakdown  leads  to  the  most  serious  consequences. 

Moral  damage  results,  no  matter  whether  the  snarling  and  snapping  is  done  by  an  indi- 
vidual or  by  a nation.  The  ordinary  man,  whether  singly  or  by  battalions,  in  order  to  use  force 
successfully,  must  rely  upon  the  imj^ulscs  that  rise  out  of  his  lower  nature. 
The  Moral  Organized  “snarling”  involves  the  use  of  newspapers,  magazines,  diplomats, 

Damage  of  War.  and  other  official  representatives.  The  demoralization  of  the  public  press 
and  of  those  whose  professional  duty  it  is  to  further  the  selfish  interests  of 
the  nation  they  represent  at  the  expense  of  another  inevitaljly  results.  What  is  the  moral  effect 
upon  newspaper  men  who  report  continued  victories  when  the  armies  are  meeting  with  defeat 
after  defeat’?  Organized  “sna]i])ing”  has  reached  a gloriously  grand  stage.  Modern  engines  of 
war  can  batter  to  pieces  a city  eight  or  nine  miles  away.  “Machine  guns  can  mow  men  down  by 
the  acre.”  Does  the  enormousness  of  the  destruction  purify  the  motives  of  the  destroyer? 

It  is  a law  of  human  life  that  after  a sudden  and  intense  outburst  of  hatred,  envy,  or  any 
other  destructive  emotion,  the  individual  may,  with  relative  ease,  return  to  his  normal  condi- 
tion. The  moral  or  social  injury  is  apt  to  be  less  if  such  an  expression  can 
The  Larger  take  place  immediately  and  the  occasions  of  its  return  avoided.  But  war 

Moral  Damage,  involves  extensive  organization  for  destructive  purposes.  When  soldiers 
enlist,  they  set  aside  months  or  even  years  of  their  lives  to  follow  up  the 
systematized  work  of  destruction.  Hence  they  are  called  upon  to  live  for  months  in  a low  moral 
atmosjjhere  with  deception,  lying,  trickery,  vulgarity,  and  brutality  on  every  hand.  Naturally 
the  cam])  and  navy  yard  becomes  places  of  vice.  The  demoralizing  process  is  cumulative.  When 
moral  self-control  gives  way  at  one  point  the  whole  character  is  weakened,  power  to  resist  tempta- 
tion in  other  forms  is  decreased,  the  whole  moral  tone  is  lowered.  Recovery  from  such  spiritual 
debasement  is  most  difficult.  Why  is  vice  so  jrrevalent  about  a navy  yard  or  army  camp? 

Under  thormighly  democratic  conditions,  in  order  to  carry  on  war  successfully,  it  is  neces- 
sary that  the  enterprise  be  supported  by  imblic  opinion.  Sentiments  and  convictions  in  large 
numbers  and  in  favor  of  the  undertaking  must  somehow  be  created.  With- 
Damage  to  Public  out  the  “moral  support”  of  the  nation  back  of  it,  the  army’s  efficiency  is 
Sentiment  and  decreased.  Individual  heroism  is  often  supported  by  the  thought  of  na- 

National  Ideals.  tional  appreciation.  When  a nation  undertakes  to  carry  on  a war  of 

aggression  with  a view  to  the  acquisition  of  territory  of  the  subjugation 
of  another  race,  the  channels  of  publicity  such  as  newspapers  and  magazines  become  wholesale 
deception  and  misrepresentation.  A censorship  is  established.  Why  not  “turn  on  the  light”? 

If  one  man  kills  another,  society  demands  a thorough  investigation  to  ascertain  the  facts. 
The  motives  that  led  up  to  the  killing  must  pass  a rigid  moral  examination.  Homicide  becomes 
murder  if  the  motive  is  on  the  moral  plane  of  envy,  greed,  revenge,  or  hatred.  When  ten  men  kill  a 
hundred,  or  when  a thousand  men  kill  three  thousand,  is  it  not  still  murder — only,  more  of  it,  pro- 
vided the  motives  are  immoral?  Does  it  originate  in  the  lower  or  in  the  higher  nature  of  men? 

12 


LESSON  FIVE 

THE  MORAL  EQUIVALENTS  OF  WAR 
Study  2 Cor.  11.  21-31 

Struggle  is  essential  to  growth.  The  instinct  of  mastery  is  God-given;  overcoming  is  the 
business  of  life.  If  it  had  not  been  for  this  instinct,  the  best  in  life  today  would  not  have  l)een 
I^ossible.  But  the  question  at  once  arises,  Who  and  what  is  to  l)e  overcome? 
The  Instinct  If  mastery  is  to  be  obtained  only  through  overcoming  a fellow  man,  then  the 
of  Mastery.  law  of  growth  through  struggle  does  not  apply  to  all;  one  goes  up  and  in  the 
meantime  another  goes  down.  Can  there  be  a law  of  human  hfe  that  is  moral 
and  yet  not  universal  in  its  application?  The  value  of  struggle  is  not,  of  coui’se,  altogether  de- 
pendent on  success  or  victory,  but  if  tlnough  one  man’s  increasing  strength  another  man  is  made 
increasingly  weak,  opportunity  for  development  is  denied  to  the  latter.  Injustice  is  at  once 
evident,  and  justice  is  fundamental  in  moral  law.  Therefore,  the  instinct  of  mastery  expressed 
in  this  way  violates  the  universal  law  of  human  develo])ment  or  progress. 

If  war  were  to  be  abolished,  would  any  true  interest  of  humanity  necessarily  suffer?  Can 
anything  that  is  morally  wrong  be  really  necessary?  Would  it  be  a good  thing  for  the  race  if  the 
fighting  instinct  were  to  die  out?  (Think  of  hghting  as  one  expression  of  the 
Shall  the  Fighting  Instinct  of  Mastery.)  Is  it  possi))le  to  answer  no  to  all  of  these  questions 
Instinct  Die  Out?  and  still  be  consistent?  War  might  die  out  and  no  harm  be  done,  but  if 
the  fighting  instinct  were  to  die  out,  the  race  might  become,  within  a 
generation  or  two,  a puny,  weak,  cowardly  people  incapal)le  of  self-sacrificing  devotion.  This 
instinct,  like  some  others,  may  have  a value  for  a time  in  every  developing  human  being,  but  it 
may  be  gradually  transmitted  into  something  higher  and  nol)ler — a something  that  would  be 
impossil)le  without  this  root.  The  boyish  fight  in  which  there  is  a spirit  of  justice,  of  fair  play,  of 
satisfaction  in  acliievement  without  the  selfish  glorying  over  a comrade,  is  very  different  from 
one  of  revenge  and  cruelty  with  intent  to  injure,  and  is  much  better  than  a milder  play  in  which 
there  is  meanness  and  trickiness. 

By  exercise  strength  is  developed.  This  is,  of  course,  equally  true  of  physical,  intellectual, 
and  moral  force.  But  an  expenditure  of  force  toward  some  definite  end  and  for  some  worthy 
purpose  beyond  that  of  mere  exercise  brings  a double  good,  for  back  of  the 
Conservation  exercise  is  the  motive  power,  and  following  it  is  the  result  achieved.  Without 
of  Force.  such  a result  energy  is  lost.  Effort  that  Irrings  no  profit  involves  at  least  a par- 

tial waste  of  energy.  Is  such  a waste  justifialrle?  One  of  the  most  important 
questions  to  be  solved  is.  What  kinds  of  profitable  struggle  can  be  substituted  for  that  of  war? 
It  is  essential  to  think  not  only  of  self-profit,  but  of  social  profit.  Is  there  any  way  other  than 
war  by  which  the  splendid  forcefuhiess  of  humanity  can  be  conserved? 

Illustrating  from  the  game  contests  of  his  day.  Saint  Paul  says,  “He  is  not  crowned  except 
he  have  contended  lawfully’’  (2  Tim.  2.  5).  In  this  there  is  a recognition  of  the  other  player — of 
what  is  fair  to  all.  A lawful  contest  is  one  that  occasions  no  injury  to  another. 
Lawful  Force  expended  to  increase  cooperation  between  jrarts  of  the  body  politic  is  de- 
Conquest.  sirable.  A conquest  of  nature  in  the  development,  for  example,  of  roacls  and  water- 
ways by  an  individual  nation,  or  l)y  the  cooperation  of  several,  illustrates  a wise 
expenditure  of  force.  A “world’s  fair’’  that  stimulates  both  individual  energy  and  collective 
work,  that  calls  for  legitimate  competition  and  at  the  same  time  cooperative  effort,  is  another 
opportunity  for  “lawful  contention.’’  Is  it  possible  to  remain  unselfish  in  all  one’s  striving  and 
yet  be  thoroughly  practical? 

Progressive  ideals  are  as  certain  as  irrogressive  truth.  The  ideal  of  yesterday  has  served  its 
day.  What  is  to  follow?  What  shall,  by  and  by,  become  actual?  Jane  Addams  points  the  way: 

“At  the  present  moment  the  war  spirit  attempts  to  justify  its  noisy  demon- 
Changing  Ideals,  strations  by  quoting  its  great  achievements  in  the  past  and  by  drawing 
attention  to  the  courageous  life  which  it  has  evoked  and  fostered.  We  may 
admire  much  that  is  admirable  in  this  jrast  life  of  courageous  warfare,  while  at  the  same  time  we 
accord  it  no  right  to  dominate  the  jjresent,  which  has  traveled  out  of  its  reach  into  a land  of  new 
desires,  ^^'e  may  admit  that  the  experiences  of  war  have  equipped  the  men  of  the  present  with 
pluck  and  energy,  but  to  insist  upon  the  selfsame  expression  for  that  pluck  and  energy  would  be 
as  stupiil  a mistake  as  if  we  woukl  relegate  the  full-grown  citizen,  responding  to  many  claims 
and  demands  upon  his  powers,  to  the  schoolyard  fights  of  his  boyhood. 

Progress  dei)cnds  upon  struggle,  upon  an  expression  of  human  will  in  a continuous  effort, 
but  social  evolution  requires  a change  of  form.  What  are  some  of  the  institutions  that  have 
served  their  day  and  must  now  be  laid  aside?  What  good  achievements  of  the-phst  have  been 
accomplished  by  warfare?  Are  those  now  required?  What  worthy  sentiments  have  they  en- 
gendered? Can  these  sentiments  be  conserved  through  other  means?  The  moral  ideal  of  to-day 
demands  that  higher  moral  results  be  accomplished  through  achievements  of  a different  type. 
Primitive  methods  were  necessary  for  jn-imitive  conditions.  The  development  of  life  gives  a 
wider  social  outlook  and  changing  ideals  arc  sure  to  result.  With  these  changing  ideals  primitive 

13 


methods  can  no  longer  be  of  service.  Why  is  it  that  a man  living  a solitary  life  needs  less  moral 
sentiments  that  are  less  sensitive  than  those  demanded  of  the  one  living  in  a crowded  community? 
Primitive  methods  of  settling  disputes  should  not  be  employed  with  courts  of  justice  at  hand. 

What  shall  take  the  place  of  the  old  mihtary  standards  or  methods?  That  is  the  practical 
question.  Constructive  work  in  which  are  the  same  attractive  elements  as  those  offered  by 
war.  Professor  Wilham  James  has  forcefully  shown  the  compelling  power  of 
Moral  war,  its  fascinations,  and  the  need  to  provide  for  not  merely  a substitute,  but 

Equivalents,  an  equivalent.  August  Comte  holds  that  man  seeks  to  improve  his  position  in 
two  ways:  “by  the  destruction  of  obstacles — or  military  action;  and  by  the  con- 
struction of  means — or  industrial  action.”  What  opportunities  are  found  to-day  for  the  culti- 
vation of  the  heroic  spirit?  In  constructive  industrialism?  In  control  of  nature?  In  overcom- 
ing social  conditions? 

“Let  men  work  together  at  building  the  Panama  Canal  and  conserving  needed  forests;  at 
putting  an  end  to  malaria,  yellow  fever,  tuberculosis,  the  white  slave  traffic  and  cliild  labor;  at 
providing  employment  for  all  capable  and  willing  workers  and  edu- 
The  Game  of  Welfare  cation  in  a trade  for  every  boy  and  girl  able  to  learn  one.  They  will 
vs.  soon  come  to  feel  an  honorable  pride  in  their  own  race  or  nation — 

The  Game  of  Warfare,  pride  in  what  it  achieves  for  its  own  and  the  world’s  good.  They 
will  find  the  game  of  welfare  as  interesting  as  the  game  of  war.” 
This  is  not  a Utopian  solution.  The  zest  for  vicarious  war,  for  contemplating  the  conflicts  of 
military  “terms,”  has  lived  not  so  much  by  its  intrinsic  attractiveness  as  by  heavy  subsidies. 
Put  a million  dollars  a day  into  any  national  enterprise,  say  a crusade  against  tuberculosis,  and 
its  acquired  interest.  Devote  a large  fraction  of  literary  talent  for  two  thousand  years  to  ad- 
vertising the  adventures  of  a public  health  army,  and  the  career  of  a hunter  of  microbes  will 
become  attractive.  The  intrinsic  difficulty  of  arousing  interest  in  exterminating  the  tubercle 
bacillus,  of  freeing  children  from  slavery,  of  putting  Justice  on  the  throne  of  industry,  may  not 
be  greater  than  that  of  arousing  an  equal  interest  in  exterminating  the  aborigines,  or  freeing 
Cuba,  or  putting  a Bourbon  on  the  throne  of  France. 

Distinction  needs  to  be  made  between  the  doing  away  with  war  and  the  doing  away  with 
the  admirable  qualities  of  the  martial  type  of  character — the  one  is  not  a necessary  outcome  of 
the  other.  Figures  of  speech,  analogies,  and  sjunbohsms  were  taken  both 
The  Martial  Type  by  Jesus  Christ  and  the  apostles  from  the  life  of  the  time.  Moral  ideas 
of  Character.  had  to  be  clothed  in  bodily  form  that  the  people  would  appreciate.  Their 

Christian  ideals  had  to  grow  out  of  the  good  ideas  or  mental  pictures  they 
already  possessed.  This  would  seem  to  be  a sufficient  reason  for  the  warlike  and  soldierly  terms 
found  in  the  Bible.  Should  these  be  conserved  to-day?  Do  the  words  “The  Son  of  God  goes 
forth  to  war,”  or  “Onward,  Christian  soldiers!  Marching  as  to  war,”  express  our  highest  ideals? 

Saint  Paul  says,  “Suffer  hardship  with  me  like  a good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ,”  or,  in  other 
words,  “as  a good  soldier  of  Christ  Jesus  accept  your  share  of  suffering.”  The  sterling  qualities 
of  the  soldier  are  to  be  imitated,  but — are  these  found  only  in  the  soldier? 
A Good  Soldier  “War  does  not  create  bravery,  it  only  reveals  it  as  existing.  Heroism  exists 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  would  exist  if  there  were  no  war,  but  heroism  would  find  a nobler  and 
more  congenial  sphere  in  which  to  exercise  itself.  Heroism  would  be  employed 
in  the  arts  of  peace.  Heroism  would  go  to  Africa  to  find  Livingstone.  Yea,  it  would  be  Livingstone. 
Was  not  Robert  Moffat  a hero?  A"et  he  carried  no  sword  but  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the 
I\'ord  of  God.  Was  not  Father  Damien  a hero?  Was  not  Bishoj)  Pattison  a hero?  Is  not  Duncan 
of  Metlakhatla  a hero?  Heroism!  There  is  as  much  heroism  on  the  mission  field  as  on  the  battle- 
field. The  mission  field  is  the  true  battlefield  of  the  world.  It  demands  more  heroism  to  plod 
on  in  the  teeth  of  all  but  insuperable  difficulties,  often  alone  and  unaided,  than  to  fight  at  Sedan 
or  Gettyst:)urg  or  Waterloo.  There  is  as  much  heroism  in  human  nature  to-day  as  ever  there  was. 

The  impelling  power  of  a great  cause  needs  to  be  realized.  Make  men  feel  the  greatness  of 
the  undertaking,  the  grandeur  of  the  outcome,  and  they  will  rise  to  the  occasion.  It  is  the  really 
hard  things  that  appeal  most  profoundly  to  human  nature,  and  they  appeal 
“The  Impulse  especially  when  there  is  faith  in  the  final  result.  When  Dr.  Grenfel  faces  the 
of  a Cause.”  frosts  of  Labrador  and  Newfoundland,  note  the  response  that  his  work  wins 
from  young  men.  He  says,  “The  hero  is  not  one  who  is  never  afraid,  but  one 
who,  being  afraid,  goes  forward.” 

A grand  faith  record  of  ancient  heroes  is  found  in  Hebrews,  chapter  11.  There  is  no  aggressive 
quality  in  faith;  an  upreaching  to  something  above  and  beyond  oneself,  or  an  outreaching  to  a 
future  good  that  is  to  be  gained.  In  the  first  vei’se  we  are  told  that,  “Faith 
The  Aggressive-  is  a conviction  of  the  reality  of  things  which  we  do  not  see.”  It  was  by  this 
ness  of  Faith.’  faith  that  the  old-time  heroes  gained  the  victory,  and  it  is  by  this  faith  that 
the  heroes  of  to-day  will  conquer.  It  is  this  faith  that  gives  us  the  ideal  to- 
ward which  we  work.  “The  ideal  condemns  the  actual,”  but  it  has  faith  in  it  or  “appreciates  it, 
in  so  far  as  the  actual  conditions  lend  themselves  to  betterment.  There  could  be  no  ideal  if  the 
actual  were  not  capable  of  being  made  what  it  ought  to  be”  (Felix  Adler). 

14 


LESSON  SIX 
PREVENTIVES  OF  WAR 
Study  Matt.  18.  16-18;  1 Cor.  6.  1-6;  Isa.  2.  2-4 

Wherever  the  Christian  doctrine  of  love  has  taken  r-oot  in  human  life,  the  usual  method  of 
settling  differences  between  individuals  has  been  by  an  appeal  to  reason.  With  the  removal  of 
hatred,  envy,  oppression,  and  jealousy,  the  difficulties  that  interfere 
Arbitration  a with  such  a settlement  are  for  the  most  part  taken  away.  There  is 

Christian  Method  of  nothing  in  the  Christian  faith  that  blinds  one’s  eyes  so  that  he  cannot 
Settling  Disputes.  see  facts  as  they  are  and  cannot  accept  a reasonable  interpretation  of 
them.  If  two  men,  both  having  the  spirit  of  Christ,  undertake  to  settle 
a question  in  dispute,  they  are  not  possessed  of  prejudices  that  interfere  with  the  judicial  weigh- 
ing of  facts  or  of  evidence.  The  Christian  faith,  because  of  its  insistence  upon  good  will  among 
men  and  its  intolerance  of  destructive  sentiments,  creates  conditions  in  which  the  appeal  to 
reason  is  the  natural  method  of  settling  differences  between  individuals. 

In  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  (8.15-18,)  Christ  is  represented  with  straightforwardness  as  giv- 
ing a vivid  picture  of  how  Christians  should  proceed  in  settling  their  personal  differences. 
Clearly  he  sets  the  issue.  The  implications  of  his  words  are  unmistakable.  The  first  appeal 
should  be  to  reason — not  to  force,  and  not  to  sentiment,  and  not  even  to  a third  party  who  is 
to  act  as  judge.  The  individuals  involved  are  first  urged  to  come  together  in  a spirit  of  deliber- 
ation. The  facts  are  to  be  pointed  out  when  only  those  directly  concerned 
The  Christian  are  present.  If  both  are  in  a mood  where  reason  is  not  interfered  with. 
Appeal  to  Reason,  amicable  adjustment  results  and  the  sentiment  of  brotherliness  is  not  de- 
stroyed. If  this  attempt  fails,  a new  factor  is  to  be  introduced  into  the 
negotiations — that  is,  a more  careful  substantiation  of  the  facts  is  to  be  undertaken.  Witnesses 
are  to  be  brought  in.  The  trutMuIness  of  the  statemeiits  in  the  accusation  are  to  be  tested  in 
the  light  of  their  testimony.  This  is  a supreme  appeal  to  reason. 

If  the  accused  party  refuses  to  take  account  of  the  facts  thus  adequately  verified,  the  sup- 
position is  that  his  attitude  does  not  reflect  the  spirit  of  brotherliness  which  is  characteristic  of 

all  true  Christians.  So  the  next  step  is  to  bring  him  before  the 
The  Christian  Appeal  to  church;  that  is,  before  those  in  whose  lives  this  spirit  is  enthroned 
Bond  of  Brotherhood.  and  who  are  the  representatives  of  Christ  in  the  world.  The  ap- 
peal to  reason  remains  as  it  was;  that  is,  the  facts  are  not  altered. 
But  they  are  enumerated  in  the  presence  of  those  whose  attitude  is  that  of  conciliation  and  true 
brotherliness.  It  is  as  though  Christ  were  now  pleading  for  a settlement.  This  appeal  includes 
the  emotions  as  well  as  the  reason.  The  one  who  will  not  listen  to  it  has  lost  the  Christlike  spirit 
of  kindness  and  good  will.  He  has  also  lost  the  respect  he  should  have  for  the  cause  of  Christ  as 
represented  in  the  organization  composed  of  believers  in  him.  Therefore,  if  he  refuses  to  listen 
to  this  appeal,  he  reveals  the  presence  of  an  un-Christlike  spirit.  He  is  thenceforth  to  be  treated 
as  a nonbeliever  or  as  one  from  whose  heart  avarice  has  crowded  out  true  brotherliness. 

And  yet  even  after  it  has  become  evident  that  a spirit  of  avarice  as  intense  as  that  of  the 
typical  tax  gatherer,  or  a spirit  of  unbrotherliness  characteristic  of  the  ancient  Gentile,  has  taken 
possession  of  the  accused,  the  negotiations  are  not  to  come  to  an  end  by  an  appeal 
Love  Your  to  force.  Christ  never  taught  liis  disciples  to  overcome  the  Gentiles  by  the  use  of 
Enemies.  the  sword.  The  truly  Christlike  attitude  toward  publican  or  nonbeliever  was 
never  that  of  enforced  subjugation.  In  suggesting  that  the  one  who  refused  to  hear 
the  church’s  presentation  of  a righteous  cause  should  thenceforth  be  treated  as  a Gentile,  Christ 
did  not  necessarily  imply  that  the  way  had  been  absolutely  closed  to  any  future  peaceful  nego- 
tiations. His  own  attitude  toward  such  individuals  was  one  of  loving  hospitality.  He  com- 
manded his  followers  to  love  their  enemies.  The  true  Christian  bears  the  sins  of  others. 

This  Christian  principle  of  conciliation  and  appeal  to  reason  is  clearly  reflected  in  the  writ- 
ings of  Paul.  In  the  great  apostle’s  letter  to  the  Corinthians,  he  writes:  “If  one  of  you  has  a 
grievance  against  an  opponent,  does  he  dare  to  go  to  law  before  irre- 
Litigation  in  ligious  men  and  not  before  God’s  people?  Do  you  not  know  that  God’s 

Heathen  Law  Courts,  people  will  sit  in  judgment  upon  the  world?  And  if  you  are  the  court 
before  which  the  world  is  to  be  judged,  are  you  unfit  to  deal  with  these 
petty  matters?  Do  you  not  know  that  we  are  to  sit  in  judgment  upon  angels — to  say  nothing  of 
things  belonging  to  this  life?  If,  therefore,  you  have  things  belonging  to  this  life  which  need  to 
be  decided,  is  it  men  who  are  absolutely  nothing  in  the  church — is  it  they  whom  you  make  judges? 
I say  this  to  put  you  to  shame.  Has  it  come  to  this,  that  there  does  not  exist  among  you  a single 
wise  man  competent  to  decide  between  a man  and  his  brother,  but  brother  goes  to  law  with 
brother,  and  that  before  unbelievers?”  (1  Cor.  6. 1-6).  It  is  evident  that  Paul  was  jealously  guard- 
ing the  bond  of  love  which  should  unite  all  true  believers  in  Christ.  He  did  not  want  differences 
among  individual  Christians  to  be  permitted  seriously  to  threaten  that  bond.  Neither  did  he 
want  non-Christians  in  Corinth  to  know  that  the  principles  laid  down  by  Christ  were  proving  to 
be  impracticable  in  their  city. 


15 


Slowly,  but  surely,  the  civilized  world  has  been  coining  into  possession  of  a clear  vision  of 
that  time  when  the  appeal  to  reason  within  the  bond  of  brotherhood  shall  have  been  adopted 
not  only  by  individuals,  but  also  by  nations.  The  idea  is  not  new,  with  the  passing  of  the 
centuries  prophets  have  created  visions  out  of  ideas  that  belonged  to  their  own  times  (see 
Isa-2.  2-4).  These  Christian  princijiles  and  prophetic  visions,  originating  in  other  days,  are  now 
priceless  spiritual  treasures.  In  the  nineteenth  and  the  twentieth  centuries  they  are  receiving 
the  serious,  j^ractical,  and  popular  consideration  of  which  they  are  worthy. 
The  Development  In  ancient  times  and  among  Oriental  states  where  one  state  had  to  be 
of  International  supreme  and  all  others  subjugated  by  it,  neither  the  direct  appeal  to  reason 
Arbitration.  by  the  contending  parties  nor  the  indirect  appeal,  through  an  arbiter, 

played  any  important  part  in  international  relationships.  The  political 
history  of  Greece  records  seventy-five  cases  of  arbitration.  The  Roman  genius  for  conquest  did 
not  prove  to  be  a favorable  atmosphere  for  the  development  and  application  of  this  principle. 
In  the  medieval  period,  with  its  private  wars  and  its  frequent  challenge  to  arms  for  trivial  and 
absurd  causes,  the  instances  of  arbitration  are  relatively  unimportant.  The  arbiters  were  the 
Pope,  the  emperor,  various  potentates  and  cities.  But  the  real  influence  of  the  Prince  of  Peace 
appears  strikingly  in  modern  times.  Sects  such  as  the  Mennonites  and  the  Quakers  have  op- 
posed war  because  of  religious  convictions.  Many  individual  peace  advocates  such  as  Henry  IV 
of  France,  Emeri  Cruce,  William  Penn,  Al^be  de  Saint-Pierre,  J.  J.  Rousseau,  Benjamin  Franklin, 
and  Immanuel  Kant  have  had  a {irofound  influence  upon  the  statesmen  of  the  last  century. 
The  Jay  Treaty  between  United  States  and  England,  1794,  involved  the  principle  of  arbitra- 
tion and  is  “usually  regarded  as  the  first  modern  treaty  of  arbitration.”  Since  that  time  France, 
England,  the  Netherlands,  Italy,  Sweden,  Denmark,  and  Belgium  have  all  adopted  arbitration 
measures. 

The  influences  tending  in  the  direction  of  international  arbitration  crystalized  in  “the  crown- 
ing event  of  the  nineteenth  century” — the  Permanent  International  Court  at  the  Hague  (1899). 

Twenty-six  jiowers  were  represented.  At  the  Second  Hague  Conference,  held 
The  Hague  in  1907,  the  representatives  of  forty-four  powers,  including  practically  the  entire 
Conferences,  civilized  world,  voted  unanimously  in  favor  of  the  creation  of  a “regular  inter- 
national court  of  justice  with  judges  always  in  service  and  holding  regular 
sessions.  It  failed  to  find  a method  of  appointing  the  judges  which  would  be  satisfactory  alike 
to  the  great  and  the  small  powers,  but  this  difficulty  will  undoulitedly  be  surmounted  in  a com- 
paratively short  time”  (Benjamin  F.  Trueblood,  International  Arbitration  at  the  Opening  of  the 
Twentieth  Century). 

The  individual  believer  in  Jesus  Christ  and  in  his  principle — appeal  to  reason  witlrin  the 
bonds  of  brotherhood — may  well  ask  himself  the  question,  “What  is  my  part  in  this  great  under- 
taking of  world-organization?”  What  is  needed  to  hasten  the  reign  of 
Individual  reason,  to  strengthen  the  bonds  of  national  brotherhood,  and  to  bring 

Responsibility  and  the  unnumbei'ed  blessings  that  will  flow  then?  The  direct  and  immediate 
Public  Opinion.  dependence  of  International  Arbitration  and  of  national  brotherliness 
upon  public  opinion  is  not  j^et  appreciated  by  the  individual  Christian 
as  it  should  lie.  In  1911,  there  was  signed  at  Washington  a treaty  of  unlimited  arbitration  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Great  Britain.  The  plan  of  the  administration  was  to  make  this 
the  first  of  a number  of  similar  treaties  with  other  great  powers.  Sir  Edward  Grey  and  statesmen 
of  all  parties  in  England  looked  upon  it  with  cordiality.  But  the  Senate  of  the  United  States, 
by  a narrow  majority,  refused  to  ratify  it.  Public  opinion  in  the  United  States,  as  represented  in 
the  Senate,  did  not  adequately  support  the  pi’oposed  treaty.  Christian  men  settle  disputes  be- 
tween individuals  by  an  ajipeal  to  reason  and  yet  are  content  to  let  their  own  government  settle 
international  differences  by  an  appeal  to  arms!  They  permit  their  own  senators  to  defeat  such 
a treaty  as  this.  J'lie  great  jiractical  need  of  to-day  is  for  a larger  numlier  of  citizens  whose  con- 
victions on  this  subject  are  thoroughly  Christian  and  who  will  use  their  influence  to  elevate 
puljlic  opinion  and  to  cause  government  officials  to  reflect  that  opinion.  How  is  it  possible  to 
meet  this  need?  Upon  whom  does  the  responsibility  rest,  ultimately? 

Is  it  not  true  that  interests  that  are  vital  to  the  welfare  of  the  different  States  of  the  United 
States  are  submitted  to  the  United  States  Supreme  Court  for  adjudication?  And  has  not  the 
“honor”  of  many  States  been  properly  guarded  in  the  decisions  rendered 
The  United  States  by  that  court?  If  all  of  the  interstate  difficulties  had  been  settled  by  ap- 
Supreme  Court.  peals  to  arms,  what  would  be  the  condition  of  military  affairs  in  our  nation 
to-day?  Would  its  burden  arising  from  the  cost  of  armies  and  navies 
not  equal  that  of  Europe?  The  Christian  ideal  of  honor  in  no  way  contradicts  the  Christian  ideal 
of  conciliation  and  arbitration.  Jesus  never  taught  that  one’s  “honor”  should  be  exempt  from 
arbitration.  His  own  honor  was  not  injured  because  he  refused  to  meet  his  enemies  with  an 
army  of  trained  soldiers.  In  this  nation,  where  his  truth  is  nominally  the  guiding  principle  of 
life,  there  is  not  one  boundary  line  between  the  various  States  that  is  protected  by  fort,  arsenal, 
or  watchful  sentinel.  The  Supreme  Court  has  been  the  preventative  of  war.  Why  cannot  this 
principle  of  a surpeme  court  be  applied  to  the  nations? 

16 


LESSON  SEVEN 

THE  INTERDEPENDENCE  OF  THE  NATIONS 
Study  1 Cor.  12 

“If  a cross-section  showing  a single  day  in  the  life  of  a civilized  man  could  be  exposed,  it 
would  disclose  the  services  of  a multitude  of  helpers.  When  he  arises,  a sponge  is  placed  in  his 
hand  by  a Pacific  Islander,  a cake  of  soap  by  a Frenchman,  a rough 
Each  Working  for  All  towel  by  a Turk.  His  merino  underwear  he  takes  from  the  hand  of  a 
and  All  for  Each.  Spaniard,  his  linen  from  a Belfast  manufacturer,  his  outer  garments 

from  a Birmingham  weaver,  his  scarf  from  a French  silk  grower,  his 
shoes  from  a Brazilian  grazier.  At  breakfast,  his  cup  of  coffee  is  poured  by  natives  of  Java  and 
Arabia;  his  rolls  are  passed  by  a Kansas  farmer,  his  beefsteak  by  a Texan  ranchman,  his  orange 
by  a Florida  Negro.  He  is  taken  to  the  city  by  the  descendants  of  James  Watt;  his  messages 
are  carried  hither  and  thither  by  Edison,  the  grandson  by  electrical  consanguinity  of  Bcnjainin 
Franklin;  his  day’s  stint  of  work  is  done  for  him  by  a thousand  Irishmen  in  his  factory;  or  he 
pleads  in  a court  which  was  founded  by  ancient  Romans,  and  for  the  support  of  which  all  citizens 
are  taxed;  or  in  his  study  at  home  he  reads  books  composed  by  English  historians  and  French 
scientists,  and  which  were  printed  by  the  typographical  descendants  of  Gutenburg.  In  the  even- 
ing he  is  entertained  by  German  singers  who  repeat  the  myths  of  Norsemen,  or  by  a company  of 
actors  who  render  the  plays  of  Shakespeare;  and,  finally,  he  is  put  to  bed  by  South  Americans 
who  bring  hair,  by  Pennsylvania  miners  and  furnace  workers  who  bring  steel,  by  Mississii)pi 
planters  who  bring  cotton,  or,  if  he  jjrefers,  by  Russian  peasants  who  bring  flax,  and  by  Lalirador 
fowlers  who  smooth  his  pillow.  A million  men,  women,  and  children  have  been  working  for  him 
that  he  may  have  his  day  of  comfort  and  pleasure.  In  return  he  has  contrilnited  his  mite  to  add 
a unit  to  the  common  stock  of  necessities  and  luxuries  from  which  the  world  draws.  Each  is  work- 
ing for  aU;  all  are  working  for  each”  (George  Harris  in  Moral  Evolution). 

The  changes  due  to  the  division  of  lal)or,  to  the  facilities  for  transportation  and  communi- 
cation, to  a removal  of  what  may  be  termed  physical  barriers,  have  all  effected  political,  economic, 
and  social  interdependence  among  the  nations.  A network  of  trade  routes. 
Growth  of  news  agencies,  business  connections,  pohtical  sympathies,  and  social  rela- 

Interdependence.  tionships  has  developed  to  such  an  extent  that  if  a break  occurs  at  one 
point,  far-reaching  and  numerous  disturbances  arc  felt  at  others.  Bank- 
ing interests  are  so  interwoven  that  the  nations  have  come  to  be  financially  interdependent.  In 
many  important  instances,  exchanges  of  views  are  now  constantly  made  between  governments 
before  action  is  taken,  whereas  in  former  days  each  would  act  without  reference  to  the  other. 

Man’s  control  of  material  forces  has  brought  men  nearer  together  in  work  and  interests. 
Before  the  time  of  steam  transportation  few  persons  went  outside  of  their  own  land.  Electricity 
has  overcome  distance,  and  the  modern  press  enables  those  in  different  lands  to 
Means  for  hear  simultaneously  the  same  events.  Workers  in  different  lands  are  finding 

Connection,  out  that  they  have  common  interests  irrespective  of  nationality.  This  is  es- 
pecially true  of  men  of  science;  their  investigations  and  discoveries  lead  to  co- 
operative work,  for  in  the  interests  and  excitement  of  discovery  one  lends  aid  to  the  other.  Uni- 
versities in  different  nations  exchange  their  professors.  The  International  Institute  of  Agri- 
culture is  a striking  evidence  of  international  dependence  for  economic  betterment.  In  1905,  a 
conference  was  called  by  the  king  of  Italy  for  the  founding  of  this  institute.  A treaty  for  its 
establishment  was  ratified  by  forty-seven  governments,  and  the  adhering  governments  represent 
ninety-eight  per  cent  of  the  population  and  ninety-five  per  cent  of  all  the  land  of  the  worUl. 
The  problem  of  creating  one  universal  language  for  all  the  peoples  of  earth  has  been  seriously 
undertaken  by  those  who  see  the  practical  need  of  removing  the  barriers  of  international  and 
interracial  communication.  The  different  peoples  of  the  world  have  now  so  much  in  common 
that  eighty  official  international  bureaus  have  been  established  with  permanent  offices  to  take 
up  matters  effecting  the  interests  of  the  civilized  world.  Three  hundred  private  international 
associations  have  been  formed,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  international  congresses  annually  meet 
for  the  consideration  of  questions  affecting  the  good  of  humanity. 

A breadth  of  appreciation  that  sees  the  value  of  differences  needs  to  be  cultivated.  As  with 
individuals  so  with  nations — one  may  complement  another  by  diversity  of  character  and  ability. 

These  very  differences  result  in  a wealth  of  suggestion  and  a variety  of  inoduction 
Diversity  the  benefits  of  which  are  world-wide  in  e.xtent.  A diversity  of  gifts  increases  the 
in  Gifts,  possibility  of  and  profit  from  cooperation.  For  the  greatest  good  in  this  direction, 
it  is  necessary  to  appreciate  the  differences  and  to  be  glad  all  jDeople  are  not,  for  in- 
stance, Anglo-Saxons.  It  is  well  also  to  recognize  that  a distribution  of  various  “kinds  of  valuable 
possessions  is  an  expression  of  divine  justice. 

The  Contributions  ^^.terial  contributions  in  the  way  of  imports  and  exports  from  one  country 
of  the  Nations  another  have  already  been  illustrated.  But  imagine  for  a moment  what 

it  would  mean  to  the  world  if  every  French  contribution  of  the  past  or 
present  should  be  taken  away.  How  much  would  go  if  everything  that  is  German  should  Jje 

17 


lost?  Where  would  be  the  scientific  discoveries  on  which  our  very  life  depends  to-day?  Where 
would  be  the  music  that  is  our  inspiration?  And  what  would  be  the  world-condition  with- 
out practical  inventions  of  the  Englishman,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  great  English  master- 
pieces of  thought  and  expression,  on  the  other?  Strike  out  Italy,  Greece,  Egypt,  as  never  having 
existed,  and  what  would  become  of  painting  and  sculpture?  Perhaps  no  one  thought-develop- 
ment shows  the  united  contributions  of  many  nations  as  does  that  of  philosophy,  for  to  master 
the  subject  to  any  extent  requires  a knowledge  of  several  languages. 

In  the  consideration  of  a growing  interdependence  and  a consequent  increasing  vitality,  it 
is  well  to  think  not  only  of  past  and  present  contributions,  but  also  of  those  of  the  future;  to  judge 
of  the  potential  contributions  of  many  nations  as  well  as  the  actual.  For  how 
Future  much  will  the  peoples  of  the  world  depend  upon  Russia,  with  its  wealth  of 

Contributions,  future  possibilities?  In  the  waking  of  the  Orient  to  relations  with  the  outside 
world  there  are  already  signs  of  interdependence,  unthought  of  twenty  or 
even  ten  years  ago.  So  also  with  the  continents  of  South  America  and  Africa.  These  vast,  ex- 
tensive possibilities  suggest  infinite  possibilities  of  intensive  development.  Because  of  poverty, 
hardship,  and  ignorance  Italy  has  not  made  one  fifteenth  of  the  contribution  to  the  welfare  of 
humanity  which  God  intends  her  to  make.  How  many  God-given  talents  of  music,  architecture, 
painting,  and  sculpture  have  never  been  realized ! When  each  nation  shall  have  received  the  full 
help  of  every  other  nation  in  developing  its  own  material  and  spiritual  resources,  who  can  im- 
agine the  blessings  which  the  future  has  in  store  for  the  human  race? 

“To  save  your  life  is  to  lose  it”  (Matt.  10.  39)  is  true  of  a group  of  individuals  as  of  a single 
one;  to  keep  one’s  best  to  oneself,  to  live  in  isolation,  is  destructive.  History  tells  the  story  of 
the  powers  that  sought  to  grasp  all  and  give  nothing;  the  empire  of  Alex- 
The  Permanency  ander  the  Great  fell  to  pieces;  the  empire  of  Napoleon  the  Great  soon  per- 
o£  Life.  ished.  “Struggle  is  only  one  phase  of  the  law;  deeper  and  more  funda- 

mental than  any  competition  is  the  law  of  cooperation  through  all  the  or- 
ders of  the  world.  Deeper  than  any  possible  battle  of  group  with  group  is  the  law  that  the  group 
that  will  not  stand  together,  and  stand  with  the  other  groups,  shall  ultimately  lose  its  chance  in 
the  unfolding  cosmic  order”  (W.  H.  P.  Faunce).  The  old  word  stands:  “Not  one  of  us  lives  to 
himself.”  In  this  there  is  no  choice.  Relationship  is  life;  isolation  is  death.  The  choice  rests 
in  the  matter  of  degree.  The  abundant  life  comes  through  interchange  and  cooperation. 

The  wisdom  which  comes  from  experience  and  the  knowledge  gleaned  from  history  help 
one  to  appreciate  the  value  of  revealed  and  inspired  truth  as  found  in  the  Bible.  In  this  wonder- 
ful record  of  the  revealing  Spirit  of  God  are  found  truths  that  do  not 
The  Historic  Climb  depend  upon  limited  experience  or  narrow  observation.  Gradually  and 
to  God’s  Truth.  painfully  the  world  is  climbing  up  to  the  truth  of  God’s  revelation.  In 
learning  through  costly,  first-hand  experiences  the  great  lessons  of  inter- 
dependence and  cooperation  the  nations  are  being  prepared  to  appreciate  what  is  implied  in  the 
Christian  doctrine  of  unity. 

In  1 Cor.  12  there  is  given  a word  picture  of  ideal  group  rclationslrips.  Saint  Paul  shows 
that  if  there  is  any  vital  connection  in  the  parts  that  form  a body  or  group,  no  one  part  can  be 
independent  of  any  of  the  others.  One  part  may  have  a larger  place 
Nations — Members  and  thereby  a larger  responsibility,  but  in  so  far  as  any  part  has  any 
of  One  Body.  value,  it  has  a contribution  to  make  to  the  whole  and  must  have  a con- 

sequent recognition.  The  apostle  makes  a particular  application  of  this 
truth  and  illustrates  it  in  specific  ways.  Can  the  principle  underlying  his  words  be  applied  uni- 
versally wherever  there  is  a vital  group?  Does  it  apply  to  nations?  A faith  that  holds  to  a funda- 
mental relationship  in  humanity,  a brotherhood  of  manldnd,  will  accept  the  proposition  that 
the  nations  are  members  of  one  body,  and  no  one  can  say  to  another,  “I  do  not  need  you.” 

“If  the  leading  nations  can  be  brought  together  in  any  kind  of  cooperative  work  for  the 
general  good  of  the  civilized  world,  such  as  the  system  of  crop-reporting  planned  (the  Inter- 
national Institute  of  Agriculture)  the  very  fact  of  working  together  will 
Working  Together  tend  to  produce  friendship  and  to  make  war  hereafter  impossible.  It  is 
for  Better  Crops.  probable  that  internation  unity  will  never  come  about  by  merely  saying, 
‘Go  now,  let  us  be  united,’  but  it  will  come  about  by  just  this  form  of  co- 
operative work  for  a useful  purpose,  without  much  immediate  thought  as  to  its  future  reactions 
in  the  field  of  international  friendships”  (Thomas  N.  Carver).  What  other  human  interests, 
besides  good  crops,  are  worthy  of  internation  cooperation? 

“When  you  have  a sense  of  solidarity  that  binds  you  with  the  other  people  of  the  world, 
then  you  will  come  to  a peaceful  settlement  of  international  difficulties.  I am  one  of  those  who 
believe  that  all  the  higher  forces  of  humanity  are  working  together;  that  the 
A New  Sense  w’ork  of  the  philosopher,  the  work  of  the  scientists,  the  wmrk  of  the  theologian, 
of  Solidarity,  the  work  of  the  artist,  the  work  of  the  legislator  and  of  the  jurist,  all  help  to 
reach  the  goal”  (Jean  C.  Brace).  Why  is  it  that  these  “higher  forces  of  human- 
ity” need  to  be  religious  forces?  Can  the  work  of  the  legislator,  alone,  lead  to  final  world 
organization?  If  not,  why  not? 


18 


LESSON  EIGHT 

THE  PRESENT  NEED  OF  INTERRACIAL  APPRECIATION  AND  GOOD  WILL 

Study  Matt.  7.  1-6 

“The  dispersion  which  began  at  Babel  has  ended  on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  and  the  Mis- 
sissippi.” The  Genesis  story  pictures  what  has  been;  the  Gospel  story  shows  what  is  coming  to 
be.  The  old  world  and  an  earlier  age  represent  separation  and  a dis- 
Christianity  a Uni-  tinction  of  nationality;  each  nation  has  had  its  own  place  and  its  own 
versal  Religion.  language;  the  new  world  and  the  movements  of  to-day  signify  a coming 
together  of  all  peoples.  History  reveals  the  influence  of  Christianity  in 
making  possible  such  a change.  A study  of  the  chief  rehgions  of  the  world  shows  that  most  of 
them  are  bound  to  the  race  and  the  locahty  where  they  originated.  Buddhism  and  Islam  are 
the  only  ones  besides  Christianity  that  show  any  expansive  power  irrespective  of  place  and  people. 
From  its  very  beginning  Christianity  has  had  a world-wide  mission.  What  words  of  Jesus  prove 
this  to  be  true?  The  races  have  come  together  in  many  respects.  Will  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  his 
followers  make  it  easier  for  peoples  who  are  coming  together  to  get  along  well  with  one  another? 

From  Saint  Paul’s  letter  to  the  Ephesians  comes  the  message,  “One  God  and  Father  of  all 
who  rules  over  all,  acts  through  all,  and  dwells  in  all”  (Eph.  4.  6).  The  Father  dwells  in  the  Jew, 
in  the  Italian,  in  the  Negro,  and  yet  are  there  not  those  who  bear  the  name 
The  Father  in  All.  of  Christian  that  look  with  scorn  and  reproach  upon  the  “Sheeny,”  the 
“Dago,”  and  the  “Nigger?”  Is  God  the  Father  of  those  human  aspects 
that  are  repulsive?  Are  they  natural?  Is  it  the  intrinsic  qualities  or  is  it  the  superficial  aspects 
that  are  made  more  striking  because  of  being  brought  into  contrast  with  others  more  pleasing 
that  makes  them  unattractive?  Is  there  a capacity  for  Godlikeness  in  every  one?  If  not,  how  can 
God  be  Father  of  all?  If  so,  should  any  one  because  of  his  inheritance  be  despised?  Respect 
for  individuals  grows  when  their  actual  good  qualities  are  known,  or  when  it  is  seen  that  ideal 
characteristics  are  being  realized  by  them.  In  looking  at  a man,  one  may  have  a picture  of  that 
to  which  he  will  some  day  rise.  The  expression  follows,  “I  have  faith  in  that  man;”  in  other 
words,  “I  have  an  ideal  that  is  going  to  be  realized  in  him.” 

What  is  the  test  of  the  superiority  of  a nation  or  of  a race?  Is  it  love  of  war  and  power  of 
conquest?  Sir  John  Macdonell  suggests  that  if  war  be  the  test,  then  some  time  ago  the  Turk 
would  have  been  superior.  Is  it  wealth  or  material  possessions?  That  is  not  the 
Superiority  Christian  test  applied  to  individuals.  If  it  is  morality,  the  application  of  the 
of  Race.  test,  he  adds,  might  be  somewhat  startling.  Modern  “superior  races”  have  not 

progressed  much  farther  in  their  moral  effect  in  some  respects  than  had  the  best 
of  the  early  Spanish  conquerors  of  Mexico  and  Peru.  And  the  conscience  of  present-day  rulers 
is  not  much  keener  than  that  shown  by  a remarkable  confession  of  one  of  these  conquerors. 

It  is  not  always  easy  to  draw  the  line  between  progressive  and  nonprogressive  people  be- 
cause the  “so-called  stationary  races  are  often  merely  those  whose  changes  are  unrecorded.” 

There  may  be  a slow  and  unperceived  awakening  that  suddenly  shows  itself 
Appreciation  of  by  leaps  and  bounds,  as  in  the  case  of  China.  There  may  be  an  exclusive- 
the  Orient  and  ness,  but  a quiet  development  of  strength  that  circumstances  suddenly  re- 
the  Occident.  veal,  as  in  the  case  of  Japan.  In  so  far  as  the  United  States  has  shown  inter- 
racial good  will  to  the  Oriental  there  has  resulted  a growing  appreciation  on 
both  sides,  because  both  have  had  an  opportunity  to  know  each  other  better.  Such  knowledge 
is  more  essential  to-day  than  ever  before,  and  it  can  come  only  through  the  open  door  of  good 
will.  “Asia  is  a sleeping  giant,”  said  Napoleon;  “let  her  sleep,  for  when  she  wakens  she  will 
shake  the  world.”  That  prophecy  is  now  coming  true.  Events  mighty  and  significant  are  crowd- 
ing upon  us.  The  situation  is  dramatic  and  threatens  to  become  tragic.  (Sidney  L.  Gulick.) 
What  can  and  should  Christians  do  under  such  conditions? 

Supposing  that  the  Japan  of  to-day  is  not  on  an  equal  basis  with  her  white  competitors? 
The  Japan  of  to-morrow  will  be,  in  all  probability.  If,  therefore,  there  is  anything  she  has  to 
teach  them,  it  is  the  fact  that  mankind  is  a one  and  undivisible  whole,  that 
Answers  of  the  yellow  race  is  not  inferior  to  the  white,  that  all  the  races  should  cooperate 
the  Japanese,  in  perfect  harmony  for  the  development  of  the  world’s  civilization.  Professor 
Nagai,  in  his  article  last  May  on  the  “White  Peril,”  says:  “If  one  race  assumes 
the  right  to  appropriate  all  the  wealth,  why  should  not  the  other  races  feel  ill-used  and  protest? 
If  the  yellow  races  are  oppressed  by  the  white  races  and  have  to  revolt  to  avoid  congestion  and 
maintain  existence,  whose  fault  is  it  but  the  aggressors?  If  the  white  races  truly  love  peace  and 
wish  to  deserve  the  name  of  the  Christian  nations,  they  will  practice  what  they  preach  and  will 
soon  restore  to  us  the  right  so  long  withheld.  They  will  rise  to  the  generosity  of  welcoming  our 
citizens  among  them  as  heartily  as  we  do  theirs  among  us.  We  appeal  to  the  white  races  to  put 
aside  their  race  prejudice  and  meet  us  on  equal  terms  in  brotherly  cooperation.” 

Signs  of  Progress  university  professors  between  the  Occident  and  the 

° 6 • Orient  indicates  a mutual  respect  from  the  standpoint  of  scholars.  Says 

one:  “We  wish  America  to  send  many  more  Mabies  to  interpret  their  nation  to  us  and 

19 


study  things  Ja[)anese  for  their  fellow  citizens.”  To  prevent  ill  will  and  danger  of  strife  it 
is  essential  that  Americans  should  understand  better  than  they  do  the  character  of  the  Japanese. 

Professor  Ladd  testifies  “out  of  a full  and  long  experience  that  Japan  is  not  Oriental  as  are 
India  and  China,  and  that  permanent  friendships  may  exist  between  individual  Japanese  and 
individual  Americans  to  the  advantage  of  both  as  between  any  two  classes 
Illustrations  of  of  individuals  witliin  either  of  the  two  nations.  The  singular  beauty  of 
Appreciation.  character  of  certain  Indian  prophets  and  mystics  is  coming  to  be  appreciated. 

The  spiritual  insight  of  Mr.  Dharmapala  has  not  been  forgotten  through  the 
years  by  some  who  listened  to  him  at  the  World’s  Parhament  of  Religions.  Ian  Maclaren  says 
that  “Chunder  Sen,  another  Indian  prophet,  described  Jesus’s  kingdom  perfectly  as  ‘a  spiritual 
congregation  of  souls  born  anew  to  God.’  ” And  Tagore,  the  Indian  poet,  made  familiar  to  many 
Americans  by  the  award  to  him  of  the  Nobel  prize,  has  been  revealed  as  an  educational  leader 
equal  in  thought  and  action  to  some  of  the  strongest  of  our  own  leaders. 

A remarkable  assembly  met  in  London  in  1911  known  as  the  Universal  Race  Congress. 
Representatives  of  forty  nationalities,  belonging  to  many  races,  were  there.  English,  German, 
Americans,  and  others  of  the  white  races  sat  down  to  luncheon  with  men 
Universal  Race  and  women  of  all  shades  of  color.  Learned  Brahmins  and  Camtjridgc  [)ro- 
Congress.  lessors,  French  economists  and  Chinese  diplomats,  Turks,  Egyptians,  Persians 

and  Russians,  cultivated  Negroes  from  America  and  South  Africa  and  an 
American  Indian  came  together  to  study  the  future  of  interracial  intercourse  and  the  problems 
resulting  from  prejudice  and  ignorance. 

Because  personal  prejudice  has  been  set  aside  and  mutual  respect  established,  John  R.  Mott 
has  been  able  to  reach  large  audiences  of  the  literati  of  China,  when  ten  years  ago  he  was  told 
such  a tlaing  was  impossible.  With  an  appreciation  of  the  best 
Appreciation  Opens  the  that  is  in  the  Oriental  religions,  missionaries  are  better  able  to  carry 
Way  for  Christianity.  to  the  adherents  of  these  religions  the  greater  light  of  the  Christian 
faith.  When  the  attitude  of  carrying  tlie  truth  down  to  a heathen 
is  changed  for  that  of  lifting  a brother  up  until  he  makes  a new  discovery  of  truth,  greater  progress 
is  made.  Why  will  sympathy  with  what  is  good  in  anyone’s  faith  be  more  hkely  to  win  a response 
to  something  better’?  Why  is  the  attitude  of  absolute  and  entire  opposition  to  or  denouncement 
of  another’s  religious  belief  apt  to  have  bad  results’? 

It  will  be  generally  conceded  that  through  the  centuries  of  opportunity  and  the  resulting 
hereditary  influences  the  white  races  are,  in  an  all-round  way,  higher  than  the  black  or  the  yellow 
races.  Does  that  fact  prevent  their  being  complementary  to  each  other? 
The  Higher  and  It  is  easy  for  those  living  in  the  Western  world  to  see  how  much  natives 
the  Lower  Races,  of  the  East  might  gain  from  this  more  progressive  life.  But  what  has  the 
Oriental  to  give  to  the  American?  Has  he  anytliing  in  art,  in  wisdom,  in 
manners  or  in  morals  that  the  American  lacks? 

What  shall  be  said  of  the  Ethiopian?  Has  the  black  man  any  desirable  characteristic  that 
the  white  man  does  not  usually  possess?  In  judging  the  American  colored  man,  there  is  a ten- 
dency to  make  comparison  between  him  and  the  white  man  on  the  same 
The  White  Man  basis.  Is  this  just?  What  is  the  background  of  the  one  as  compared  with 
and  the  other?  Generations  of  intellectual  and  moral  strength  are  behind  the 

The  Black  Man.  white  man  and  are  woven  into  the  very  fiber  of  the  best  of  his  kind.  Look 
at  the  most  advanced  of  the  Negro  race — Douglass,  Washington,  DuBois, 
Dunbar — and  what  is  behind  them?  Considering  the  opportunities  of  the  two  races,  and  the 
achieved  results,  what  is  likely  to  be  the  relative  progress  of  the  colored  race  in  the  future?  Has 
the  l:)lack  man  shown  his  capacity  for  moral  and  economic  advancement?  This  people  will  be  a 
menace  or  a help  to  the  United  States  according  to  the  degree  of  the  white  man’s  good  will. 

The  difference  between  the  races  and  the  nations  rests  largely  on  the  basis  of  nature  versus 
nurture.  “Is  the  superbly  built,  upstanding,  high-browed  Samoan  of  to-day  a simple  child  of 
nature  because  he  lacks  capacity  or  because  he  lacks  tradition  and  stim- 
Superiority  Brings  ulus?”  In  other  words,  has  he  been  deprived  of  opportunity?  If  the 
Responsibility.  latter  is  true,  superiority  brings  responsibility.  The  stronger  nation  must 
give  to  the  weaker  both  for  its  own  good  and  for  that  of  the  inferior  people. 
Ex-President  Roosevelt  has  said:  “I  believe  that  I am  spealdng  with  historic  accuracy  and 
impartiality  when  I say  the  American  treatment  of  and  attitude  toward  the  Filipino  people,  in 
its  combination  of  disinterested  ethical  purpose  and  sound  common  sense,  marks  a new  and  long 
stride  forward  in  advance  of  all  steps  that  have  hitherto  been  taken  along  the  path  of  wise  and 
proper  treatment  of  weaker  by  stronger  nations.”  In  what  ways  can  the  Anglo-Saxon  contribute 
to  the  development  of  the  so-called  backward  races? 

The  very  recognition  by  the  peoj)le  of  this  land  that  there  are  those  who  are  not  their  equal 
is  in  itself  the  “cry” — the  call,  the  demand — to  help  them  to  a larger  life,  a better  development, 
a realization  of  the  “image  of  God,”  the  capacity  for  which  is  the  birthright  of  every  man. 
I'he  acknowledgment  of  superiority  brings  with  it  responsibility  for  those  who  are  not  as  we  are. 
“A  man’s  obligation  to  the  other  man  is  measured  by  the  need  of  the  other  man.” 

20 


LESSON  NINE 

WORLD-FEDERATION,  A MEANS  OF  INTERNATIONAL  JUSTICE 
Study  Psa.  92.  7-16 

Where  can  there  be  found  a moral  ideal  that  is  worthy  to  set  before  a Christian  nation? 
In  Hebrew  prophecy  there  is  found  such  an  ideal,  only  it  was  intended  to  be  applied  by  individuals. 

Is  it  cciually  applical)le  to  nations?  “He  hath  showed  thee,  O man,  what 
A Nation’s  Ideal,  is  good;  and  what  doth  Jehovah  require  of  thee,  but  to  do  justly,  and  to 
love  kindness,  and  to  walk  humbly  with  thy  God?’’  (Micah  6.  8).  “Peace 
can  never  be,  except  as  it  is  founded  upon  justice”  (Elihu  Root).  What  is  just?  is  the  question 
to  be  raised  and  settled  in  every  international  dispute  and  claim.  Resentment  and  animosity 
will  be  held  in  abeyance  where  there  is  a true  appreciation  of  justice.  With  a desire  for  peace,  it 
is  most  important  therefore  to  study  justice,  what  is  involved  in  it,  and  how  it  may  be  obtained. 

Before  a government  will  be  likely  to  act  justly,  before  official  representatives  can  be  ex- 
pected to  urge  justice,  a moral  sensitiveness  must  be  cultivated  in  the  state  at  large.  An  indi- 
vidual standard  is  usually  dejjendent  on  that  of  the  majority  who  form  the 
Cultivating  the  group.  Therefore  individuals  of  the  state  must  be  educated  to  a pride  in 
Sense  of  Justice,  national  honor  and  also  to  what  is  involved  in  it,  for  national  honor  will 
■ not  be  upheld  unless  the  people  have  a sense  of  what  is  honorable.  Pro- 

portionately, children  have  a keener  sense  of  justice  than  have  older  persons;  what  is  fair  is  quickly 
appreciated  by  a child  of  six  years  in  concrete  matters  with  which  he  has  to  do.  This  keen  sense 
needs  to  be  conserved  and  strengthened  as  the  years  go  on.  Nothing  calls  for  more  attention  in 
moral  education,  beginning  with  the  rights  of  ownershi]),  and  the  respect  of  persons  in  the  home 
and  the  immediate  community  and  leading  out  to  one’s  own  country  and  other  countries. 

What  is  justice?  In  particular  instances  it  may  be  hard  to  decide.  But  from  a general  point 
of  view  it  is  a consideration  of  the  rights  of  one  as  much  as  of  another,  and  a resulting  action  on 
that  basis.  Justice  between  states  is  much  more  complex  than  justice  between 
The  Rights  individuals.  It  is  much  easier  to  determine  what  is  riglit  toward  one  as  compared 
of  Others.  with  another,  when  circumstances  and  environment  are  the  same  in  both  cases, 
than  when  they  are  different;  for  example:  “It  would  require  a con.sideral)lc 
training  for  an  Eskimo  to  conceive  of  a proper  application  to  an  inhabitant  of  the  tropics  of  the 
injunction,  ‘Do  unto  others  as  you  would  that  they  should  do  unto  you.’  ” Differences  of  class, 
rank,  etc.,  affect  the  matter  sometimes  rightly,  sometimes  WTongly. 

“The  actions  and  thoughts  of  states  are  necessarily  compounded  of  the  actions  and  thoughts 
of  individual  persons.”  But  statesmen  as  statesmen  cannot  always  be  so  humane  and  just  by 
direct  and  quick  action  as  they  would  be  when  acting  as  private  individuals. 
Some  Practical  Much  in  relation  to  habit,  prejudice,  and  the  effects  of  the  act  in  question 
Difficulties.  has  to  be  weighed  in  the  balance  to  determine  what  is  just.  An  illustration 
from  the  well-known  conditions  of  slavery  will  make  this  clear.  “The  great 
obstacles  to  the  doing  of  things  which  make  for  peace  have  not  been  the  wish  of  the  diplomatists, 
nor  the  policy  of  the  government,  but  the  inconsiderate  and  thoughtless  unwillingness  of  the 
great  body  of  the  people  of  the  respective  countries  to  stand  behind  the  man  who  was  willing, 
for  the  sake  of  peace  and  justice,  to  make  fair  concessions”  (Elihu  Root).  What  are  some  of  the 
other  difficulties  that  stand  in  the  way  of  international  justice?  How  can  they  be  solved? 

Under  one  interpretation  the  Christian  guide  of  the  Golden  Rule  goes  beyond  strict  justice. 
But — when  wishing  rightly — would  anyone  wish  others  to  do  to  him  more  than  what  is  just? 

There  can  be  no  need  of  doing  unto  others  more  than  what  would  be  right  for 
The  Christian  them  to  do  to  oneself.  Time  is  always  needed  for  justice.  One  cannot  put 
Guide.  oneself  in  another’s  j)lace  without  some  consideration.  Destructive  passion 

and  imjmlsiveness  frequently  interfere  with  just  consideration  and  action. 
The  Psalmist  said:  “Mercy  and  truth  have  met  each  other,  righteousness  and  peace  have  kissed 
each  other”  (Psa.  85.  10).  Is  it  always  true  that  righteousness  results  in  peace? 

Single  instances  of  magnanimity,  for  which  any  nation  has  a right  to  be  proud,  stand  out 
in  history — notably  the  reduction  by  the  United  States  of  China’s  indemnity  after  the  Boxer 

trouble,  its  educating  of  the  Filipinos,  and  its  more  recent  action 
Just  and  Unjust  Actions  in  regard  to  the  Panama  tolls.  No  victory  at  arms  can  bring 
and  Their  Result  about  such  glory  to  England  as  that  great  act  of  justice  when  at  a 

Upon  National  Honor.  cost  of  one  hundred  million  dollars  she  gave  freedom  to  eight  hun- 

dred thousand  slaves.  On  the  other  hand,  in  the  eyes  of  many,  a 
cloud  has  been  cast  on  the  honor  of  the  United  States  by  her  treatment  of  the  Japanese,  and  on 
the  honor  of  England  by  her  war  with  the  Boers.  While  the  world’s  sympathy  may  go  out  to 
Belgium,  it  is  impossible  to  forget  or  to  ignore  the  cruelty  and  inhumanity  that  characterized 
her  treatment  of  her  subjects  living  in  the  Congo  state. 

By  what  other  means — besides  the  raising  of  the  ideal  of  the  nation  and  the  education  of 
its  people  to  a right  standard — can  justice  and  peace  be  established?  Appreciation  of  the  contri- 
bution of  each  nation  to  the  common  good,  of  the  smaller  as  well  as  the  larger,  will  tend  to 

21 


tills  end.  On  the  basis  of  what  is  fair  the  stronger  nation  will  let  the  weaker  one  have 
a chance.  Until  this  is  done  it  is  impossible  to  tell  how  much  a back- 

A Chance  to  All.  wartl  people  can  develop  and  what  their  contribution  might  be  to  the  gen- 
eral welfare.  In  the  interests  of  fair  play,  if  a country  needs  more  terri- 
tory, she  will  purchase  it  rather  than  fight  for  it;  if  she  needs  a jiort,  she  will  pay  for  it  rather  than 

seize  it.  Nicholas  Murray  Butler  emphasizes  the  need  of  what  he  terms  the  International 
Mind,  which  he  defines  as  a habit  of  thinking  of  and  acting  in  foreign  relations  on  the  basis 
that  the  civilized  nations  of  the  world  are  friendly  and  cooperating  equals. 

The  federation  of  states  is  the  most  direct  means  for  securing  international  justice.  Fed- 
eration, in  this  connection  and  in  the  fullest  sense,  signifies  a juridical  union  between  independ- 
ent states  for  settling,  by  peaceful  and  rational  methods,  all  questions  of 
Approach  to  mutual  interest.  It  goes  a step  beyond  arbitration  and  toward  inter- 

World-Federation.  national  unity  and  justice.  Arbitration  presupposes  arrangements  that 
involve  mutual  tolerance;  world-federation,  settlement  by  judicial  de- 
cision. By  the  establishment  of  a world-court  or  grand  jury,  justice  would  be  administered  more 
certainly  than  by  special  commissions  of  arbitration.  Reference  would  be  made  to  law  instead 
of  to  force.  Lord  Salisbury  believed,  with  many  others,  some  such  federal  union  to  be  the  only 
way  to  save  the  civilized  nations  of  the  world  from  the  disaster  of  war.  Such  a tribunal  would 
be  composed  of  the  highest  judicial  ability  to  be  found  in  the  states  sharing  in  the  federation. 
International  law  would  be  enlarged  and  made  more  beneficial  to  all  participants  in  such  a fed- 
eration, and  by  this  very  means  the  instances  requiring  judicial  settlement  would  diminish  in 
number.  The  fact  that  leading  statesmen  and  students  of  international  law  have  even  con- 
sidered such  ])laus  augurs  well  for  their  development.  How  can  public  opinion  in  favor  of  world- 
federation  be  stimulated?  What  can  be  done  to  further  it  in  our  nation? 

The  Interparliamentary  Union  is  the  most  significant  approach  to  federation  because  it  is 
composed  of  parliamentarians  who  can  view  problems  more  clearly  from  an  international  stand- 
point than  can  other  international  organizations  whose  numbers  are 
Existing  Inter-  apt  to  have  a limited  national  view.  Tliis  Union  was  organized  in 

national  Federations.  1889,  though  it  had  been  proposed  as  far  back  as  1875;  it  has  a mem- 
bership numbering  more  than  three  thousand  and  representing  twenty- 
two  nations.  Ideals  of  peace  and  arbitration  first  brought  forward  only  by  peace  societies  are 
now  considered  l)y  this  group  of  statesmen.  It  also  urges  that  the  voice  of  the  people  be  expressed 
in  regard  to  international  relations. 

What  are  the  possibilities  for  the  federation  of  states?  Citizens  of  a state  can  do  much  to 
develop  the  strength  and  scope  of  international  law;  they  can  influence  those  in  authority  to  see 
that  it  controls  separate  nations  just  as  the  municipal  law  of  a community 
Future  controls  its  separate  citizens.  It  would  be  useless  for  the  governments  to  pro- 

Possibilities  vide  for  tribunals  for  securing  international  justice  if  public  opinion  should 
in  Federation,  not  support  such  action.  The  people  must  be  educated  on  these  subjects  to 
to  make  federation  possible.  A remarkable  instance  of  the  interest  in  “inter- 
national brotherhood”  was  reported  by  the  late  Samuel  B.  Capen  when  in  his  recent  visit  to 
India  he  was  requested  to  speak  on  this  topic  by  leading  Hindus  in  various  places.  Recent  de- 
velopments signify  that  the  American  world  stands  on  the  threshold  of  a new  era.  A leading 
representative  of  South  America  urges  an  “All-American  Peace  Understanding”  and  a conclave 
of  the  American  world  proclaiming  a new  “gospel  of  peace”  of  “all  for  all  and  each  for  the  other.” 
Can  there  be  a true  gospel  of  peace  that  does  not  recognize  the  Christian  principles  of  brother- 
hood and  of  justice? 

Theodore  Marburg  says;  “The  work  of  evolving  between  nations  a system  of  justice  such 
as  obtains  within  the  nations  is  still  before  us.  We  have  still  to  lay  down  the  principle  that  a 
wrong  by  one  state  against  another  is  a matter  which  the  society  of  nations 
Evolving  a System  must  concern  itself;  that  the  International  Commission  of  Inquiry,  like 
of  Justice.  the  grand  jury  in  English  municipal  law,  must  not  stoj)  with  the  inquiry, 

but  must  evolve  eventually  a body  which  shall  exist  for  the  purpose  of 
passing  upon  international  wrongdoing  and  must  present  the  culprit  for  trial  by  a permanently 
constituted  tribunal;  that,  in  other  words,  the  society  of  nations,  and  not  the  individual  nation, 
will  set  right  an  international  wrong.  Under  such  a sy.stem  occasional  miscarriages  of  justice 
may  be  expected  exactly  as  in  municipal  law,  but  how  insignificant  will  this  be  when  compared 
with  the  wholesale  injustice,  private  and  public,  which  flows  from  war.  So,  too,  must  we  expect 
an  occasional  war  on  a mighty  scale  when  numbers  of  states  shall  be  divided  on  a question,  just 
as  we  have  civil  war  to-day  within  the  state;  but  such  catastrophes  should  be  increasingly  rare.” 
What  reasons  are  there  to  hope  that  even  this  possibility  might  finally  disappear?  Some  leaders 
advocate  a voluntary  association,  an  organization  of  free  choice  irrespective  of  accidents  of  birth, 
color,  or  residence.  The  Association  State  is  to  be  a federation  of  those  who  voluntarily  combine 
for  mutual  interests.  Christianity  teaches  that  there  is  a permanency  which  belongs  to  righteous 
conduct  greater  than  that  of  wickedness.  What  aspects  of  society  would  become  permanent  if 
there  were  formed  a world-federation  in  the  interest  of  justice  as  opposed  to  force? 

22 


LESSON  TEN 

THE  PEACE  MOVEMENT  AND  OTHER  PEACE  AGENCIES 
Study  Matt.  4.  26-32 

The  power  of  public  opinion,  issuing  in  the  common  will  and  social  custom,  will  be  empha- 
sized in  a later  lesson.  Before  taking  up  that  subject  there  should  be  considered  the  education 
of  pubhc  opinion  that  it  may  will  and  act  in  ways  that  are  right.  How  is 
Educating  Public  it  possible  to  get  a clearer  understanding  of  affairs  as  they  now  are  that 
Opinion.  opmion  may  be  formed  on  the  basis  of  intelhgence  and  of  keen  moral  sense? 

Four  things  are  necessary  to  reach  this  end:  first,  to  foster  respect  for  those 
exalted  human  sentiments  which  are  found  in  the  Declaration  of  1776;  second,  to  develop  a just 
appreciation  of  international  rights  and  duties;  third,  to  spread  a knowledge  of  the  principles  and 
rules  of  international  law;  fourth,  to  cultivate  the  true  Christian  spirit  of  interracial  brotherli- 
ness. The  four  greatest  channels  for  doing  these  things  are  the  pulpits,  the  university  courses, 
the  newspapers  and  magazines,  and  the  study  classes.  The  opportunities  are  many  to-day  for 
a more  rational  understanding  of  peace  and  war  through  the  several  organizations  that  are  put- 
ting forth  effort  to  this  end. 

The  greatest  asset  for  the  future  is  in  the  education  of  youth  on  this  matter.  If  a standard 
different  from  the  present  one  shall  be  raised  in  schools  and  colleges,  the  next  generation  will 
not  see  war.  The  idea  of  and  the  ideal  for  soldierly  characteristics  have  been 
Education  of  emphasized  in  song  and  exercises;  the  events  of  war  have  been  studied  and  the 
Youth.  glories  of  victory  made  vivid.  Speakers  have  addressed  schools  on  war  rem- 

iniscences, but  who  has  shown  the  values  of  peace?  Would  a discussion  or  de- 
bate on  the  following  question  have  a moral  value  for  high-school  students:  Have  the  wars  of 
recent  centuries  been  necessary  or  useful  to  mankind?  Heroism  and  the  glory  of  self-sacrifice 
for  a Worthy  cause  need  to  be  inbred  into  the  fiber  of  youth,  but  there  is  a heroism  unstained  by 
blood  or  by  the  suppression  of  the  weak  by  the  strong,  that  has  been  largely  passed  by  in  schools 
and  schoolbooks.  Tell  your  boy  the  stories  of  the  heroes  of  peace,  in  medicine,  service,  explor- 
ing, religious  teaching,  humanatarianism.  Let  him  have  the  nobler  heroes’  viewpoint. 

In  both  the  day  school  and  tire  Sunday  school  there  should  be  cultivated  interracial  good 
feeling.  Boys  and  girls  should  be  trained  to  a right  appreciation  of  “the  stranger  within  our 
gates,”  to  note  those  quahties  of  the  Jew,  the  Russian,  the  Italian,  or  the  Japanese 
Friendship  that  are  superior  to  those  of  the  Anglo-Saxons.  A commandment  excellent  for 
of  Nations,  the  public  school  and  the  religious  school  is  that  old  one  given  originally  to  the 
Jewish  people:  “If  a stranger  sojourn  with  thee  in  thy  land,  thou  shalt  do  him 
no  wrong.”  History  must  be  studied  from  the  standpoint  of  the  advancement  of  jreaceful  arts. 

There  are  forces  quietly  at  work  for  creating  a new  standard  in  regard  to  war  and  peace. 
Instead  of  thinldng,  “Blessed  is  the  victorious  conqueror,”  pubhc  opinion  will  join  in  saying, 
“Blessed  are  the  peacemakers.”  “The  American  School  Peace  League” 
American  School  was  organized  some  years  ago  and  has  been  carried  on  largely  through 
Peace  League.  the  ability  of  one  woman  and  the  generosity  of  another,  for  the  purpose  of 
the  instruction  and  the  cooperation  of  the  growing  generation  in  the  cause 
of  peace.  The  National  Education  Association  has  indorsed  the  principles  and  efforts  of  this 
organization  by  appointing  a special  committee  to  cooperate  with  it.  The  Intercollegiate  Peace 
Association  includes  colleges  in  sixteen  States  of  this  country;  it  seeks 
Intercollegiate  Peace  to  promote  organized  activities  among  students  and  educators  in  sup- 
Association.  port  of  international  arbitration  and  the  peace  movement.  A memorial 

from  this  association  was  offered  at  the  second  Hague  Conference 
representing  twenty-two  thousand  students  and  sixteen  thousand  teachers. 

In  the  Federation  of  Christian  Students  there  is  a great  international  force.  Its  leader  and 
general  secretary,  John  R.  Mott,  has  been  in  forty-four  countries  during  twenty-five  years  of 
service,  and  its  members  are  led  to  a definite  realization  of  the  brother- 
The  Christian  hood  of  man  through  the  breadth  of  the  Federation  and  its  meaning. 

Student’s  Federation,  The  international  conventions,  conferences,  and  committees,  all 
working  in  the  interest  of  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
have  resulted  in  close  personal  ties  among  Christian  leaders  in  all  of  the  leading  nations. 

The  Cqsmopolitan  Club  is  a movement  among  the  students  of  the  United  States  who  are 
particularly  interested  in  interracial  affairs.  It  unites  in  a league  of  brotherhood  students  of 
every  race,  color,  and  creed  and  assumes  all  races  and  peoples  to  be  on  a foot- 
The  Cosmopol-  ing  of  equality.  It  had  its  origin  in  the  fact  that  of  recent  years  thousands 
itan  Clubs.  of  Orientals,  Latin- Americans,  and  Europeans  have  entered  the  schools  of 

learning  of  this  country.  It  is  rei)orted  that  in  ten  years  the  number  of  foreign 
students  in  the  University  of  Wisconsin  increased  from  7 to  107.  Such  an  increase  is  typical  of 
every  large  American  University.  A National  Association  of  Cosmopolitan  Clubs  was  founded 
in  1907;  it  has  a membership  of  over  two  thousand  representing  sixty  different  countries;  two 
years  later  an  affiliation  was  made  with  the  Corda  Fratres,  an  international  federation  of  “fudents, 

23 


so  that  a large  cloor  is  open  for  interracial  cooperation  among  the  student  bodies  of  the  world. 
The  motto  of  this  association  is,  “Above  all  Nations  is  Humanity.”  Its  purpose:  “To  bring  to- 
gether college  young  men  from  different  countries,  to  aid  and  direct  foreign  students  coming  to  the 
United  States,  to  cultivate  the  arts  of  peace  and  to  establish  strong  international  friendships.” 

The  familiar  paralde  of  the  grain  of  mustard  seed,  to  the  development  of  which  the  kingdom 
of  God  is  likened,  is  a gootl  illustration  of  the  growth  of  the  peace  movement  as  a part  of  that 
Idngdom.  .Jesus  said,  as  recorded  in  Mark  4.  26-32,  and  translated  by  Wey- 
The  Growth  mouth:  “The  kingdom  of  God  is  as  if  a man  scattered  seed  over  the  ground: 
of  the  Seed,  he  spends  tlays  and  nights,  now  awake,  now  asleep,  while  the  seed  sprouts  and 
grows  tall,  he  knows  not  how.  Of  itself  the  land  produces  the  crop — first  the 
blade,  then  the  ear;  afterwaixl  the  perfect  grain  is  seen  in  the  ear.  But  no  sooner  is  the  crop  ripe 
than  he  sends  the  reaiiers,  because  the  time  of  harvest  has  come.” 

When  \vas  the  seed  of  ])eacc  planted?  For  long  years  it  was  buried.  The  first  unfolding 
of  the  idea  of  international  peace  in  any  full  sense  is  to  be  noted  in  the  seventeenth  century.  Four 
events  occurring  at  that  time  in  four  different  countries,  and  as  the 
The  Development  of  work  of  four  eminent  men,  have  been  called  “the  cornerstones  of  the 
the  Peace  Movement,  structure  of  modern  peace  work.”  The  first  of  these  was  the  Great 
Design  of  Henry  IV  of  France  for  the  federation  and  peace  of  Christian 
Euroiie.  The  second  was  the  famous  book  of  Hugo  Grotius,  On  the  Rights  of  War  and  Peace, 
in  which  he  jjk'aded  for  arbitration,  and  his  arguments  made  a deep  impression  upon  Europe, 
ddie  third  great  work  for  peace  was  that  of  George  Fox,  who  instituted  the  Society  of  Friends, 
which  to  this  day  has  held  a high  ideal  of  universal  peace  before  the  world.  William  Penn’s 
“Holy  Experiment  in  Government  on  Peace  Principles”  was  the  fourth  of  these  events;  this 
]iractical  experiment  lasted  more  than  fifty  years  and  continues  to  have  its  moral  influence. 
The  end  of  the  eighteenth  century  gave  the  world  Kant’s  great  treatise  on  “Perpetual  Peace;” 
in  this  “was  uttered  for  the  first  time  the  idea  of  a federation  of  the  world  in  an  international 
.state  built  upon  reinibliean  ])rineiples.”  The  movement  for  the  al)olition  of  war  and  that  for 
human  liberty  went  hand  in  hand  at  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century.  The  names  of  the 
idealists  and  practical  workers  for  peace  of  that  time  are  many.  The  first  International  Peace 
(Jongress,  initiated  by  the  American  Peace  Society,  was  held  in  London  in  1843,  with  some  three 
hundred  persons  in  attendance;  five  years  later,  a second  was  held  in  Brussels,  and  the  following 
>-ear  a third  in  Paris,  with  two  thousand  delegates  attending.  In  this  pioneer  work  Elihu  Burritt, 
“the  learned  blacksmith,”  was  a recognized  leader.  The  first  resolution  in  favor  of  the  principles 
of  arbitration  jiassed  by  any  government  was  that  by  the  House  of  Commons  in  1873  through  the 
efforts  of  Henry  Richard,  who  for  forty  years  was  secretary  of  the  London  Peace  Society. 

From  the  iilanting  of  the  seed  in  this  country  by  a small  group  of  pioneer  workers  in  the 
early  i)art  of  the  last  century,  the  work  of  the  peace  movement  has  gone  steadily  forward  until 
in  recent  years  it  has  spread  its  branches  far  and  wide.  The  American 
Peace  Movement  in  Peace  Society,  founded  by  William  Ladd  in  1815,  from  its  headcjuarters 
the  United  States.  in  Washington,  seeks  to  influence  legislation  in  favor  of  arbitration  and 
international  good  will;  it  organizes  the  American  Peace  Congresses, 
carries  on  a lecture  bureau  and  library,  and  issues  a paper,  the  Advocate  of  Peace,  as  well  as  a 
large  amount  of  other  literature.  It  cooperates  wdth  the  International  Peace  Bureau  at  Berne, 
the  .Associations  for  International  Conciliation,  the  World’s  Peace  Foundation,  and  the  Carnegie 
Endowment  for  International  Peace.  The  World  Peace  Foundation  developed  from  the  late 
Edwin  Ginn’s  idea  of  an  “International  School  of  Peace”  and  is  supported  by  his  generosity. 
He  was  the  first  man  to  give  a large  amount  of  money  to  the  propagating  of  peace;  his  gift  made 
pi'ovision  for  fifty  thousand  dollars  a year  and  an  ultimate  endow'ment  of  one  million  dollars  for 
I he  Foundation.  Its  a))ecial  purpose  is  educational;  it  has  a department  for  work  in  colleges  and 
universities;  it  aids  the  School  Peace  League  and  cooperates  with  the  students’  organizations. 
The  Foundation  publishes  the  International  Library,  which  includes  some  of  the  most  important 
writings  on  i)eace,  and  it  su])i)lies  much  printed  material  for  use  in  the  study  of  the  subject. 

Soon  after  Mr.  Ginn’s  endowmient,  a gift  of  ten  million  dollars  was  made  by  Andrew  Carnegie 
to  establish  the  Carnegie  endowment  for  International  Peace.  With  headquarters  in  Wash- 
ington and  under  the  leadershijr  and  control  of  able  statesmen  and  business  men,  it  devotes  itself 
largely  to  investigations  through  commissions  on  international  law,  the  causes  of  war,  etc. 

The  Church  Peace  Union,  the  Commission  on  Christian  Education  of  the  Federal  Council  of 
the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  and  the  Commission  on  Peace  and  Arbitration  of  the 
Federal  Council  are  working  with  especial  reference  to  arousing  interest 
Peace  Movement  in  t he  cause  among  the  churches,  and  to  this  end  are  sending  out  literature 
in  the  Churches,  on  religion  and  peace  and  promoting  class  studies  and  pulpit  utterances  on 
the  subject.  Perhaps  no  ministers  have  done  more  to  show  the  Christian 
point  of  view  they  have  than  Edward  Everett  Hale,  Charles  Jefferson,  Frederick  A.  Lynch, 
and  William  C.  Gannett.  As  one  looks  l)ack  to  the  beginnings  of  the  organized  peace  move- 
ment one  liundred  years  ago,  the  words  of  Saint  Paul  may  find  a fitting  place : “I  planted  and 
Apollos  watered,  but  God  gave  the  increase.” 


24 


LESSON  ELEVEN 

THE  SOCIALIZING  OF  CHRISTIANITY:  THE  SPIRIT  OF  CHRIST  PERMEATING 

THE  NATIONS 
Study  Matt.  25.  31-46 

Sir  Charles  Warren,  governor  of  Natal,  after  studying  at  close  range  the  spirit  of  hostility 
that  had  become  intense  among  the  people  over  whom  he  ruled,  said,  “For  the  preservation  of 
peace  between  colonists  and  natives  one  missionary  is  worth  a batallion  of 
Contrasts  in  soldiers.”  Some  of  the  people  living  in  the  neighborhood  of  Hull  House 

the  Socializing  Settlement,  Chicago,  of  which  Jane  Addams  is  the  head,  were  once  overheard 

of  Christianity,  saying,  “We  will  have  Saint  Jane’s  Christ,  but  not  the  Christ  of  the  Chris- 
tians.” Two  very  important  facts  are  here  brought  out,  namely:  The  spirit 
of  Christ,  when  expressed  sincerely  in  the  conduct  of  his  followers,  strengthens  the  social  bonds 
between  those  followers  and  their  neighbors.  But  no  amount  of  mere  profession  to  be  his  dis- 
ciples can  take  the  place  of  genuine  Christian  conduct.  Hypocrisy  destroys  the  social  bonds. 

“Are  the  teachings  of  Christ  practicable  or  impracticable?  If  the  latter,  why  do  we  call 
him  a great  teacher?”  The  social  movement  is  the  greatest  movement  of  the  last  twenty  years. 

It  is  a practical  expression  of  the  life  of  love,  a life  lived  for  others 
The  Essence  of  as  well  as  for  self,  and  this  is  the  keynote  of  Jesus  Christ’s  teachings, 

the  Social  Movement.  All  the  law  was  summed  up  in  “Thou  shalt  love” — God  and  thy 
fellow  man.  This  attitude,  or  life  of  love,  has  been,  and  is  now,  ex- 
pressed by  individuals;  it  is  being  expressed  by  groups  in  community  life.  It  is  because  so  many 
people  are  living  the  Christian  life  sincerely,  and  because  they  are  beginning  to  cooperate  in  their 
service  of  good  will,  that  there  has  come  to  be  a social  service  movement.  But  this  number  of 
individuals  is  not  yet  great  enough.  The  true  Christ  spirit  has  yet  to  be  expressed  by  nations  in 
a definite  and  connected  way.  This  means  simply  that  either  there  are  not  enough  individuals 
who  really  beheve  in  the  Christian  way  of  doing  things  or  else  that  such  individuals  lack  sufficient 
cooperation  for  this  life  of  love  to  be  applied  on  a national  scale.  The  rapidly  multipljdng  number 
of  Christians  who  are  true  has  effected  civilization  in  many  directions.  Give  modern  illustrations 
of  so-called  Christian  nations  the  “conduct”  of  which  is  un-Christian. 

“The  church  of  Christ  cannot  make  laws,  but  it  can  make  customs.”  Walter  Rauschen- 
busch  brings  to  mind  the  old  saying,  “Quid  leges  sine  moribus?” — “Of  what  avail  are  laws  without 
customs?”  “Our  two  words,  ‘morals’  and  ‘ethics,’  the  one  from  the  Latin 
Social  Custom  and  the  other  from  the  Greek,  both  mean  that  which  is  customary.  The 
More  Than  Law.  law  is  a moral  agency.  ...  It  furnishes  the  stiff  skeleton  of  public  mor- 
ality which  supports  the  finer  tissues,  but  these  tissues  must  be  deposited 
by  other  forces.”  The  Spirit  of  Christ  permeating  through  social  customs  will  form  the  finer 
tissues  preventing  war.  The  moral  impulse  of  the  common  will  of  organized  society  is  the  force 
that  is  greater  than  international  law,  though  law  may  be  the  transmitter  of  that  common  will. 
On  the  one  hand,  there  is  the  tribunal  of  law;  on  the  other,  the  tribunal  of  the  individual  con- 
science. In  between  these  is  an  influence  that  is  greater  than  either  for  which  the  Enghsh  lan- 
guage has  no  word,  but  which  the  Germans  express  in  “Sittlichkeit,”  implying  custom  and  habit 
of  mind  and  action.  It  has  reference  to  “those  principles  of  conduct  which  regulate  people  in 
their  relations  to  each  other,  and  which  have  become  matter  of  habit  and  second  nature  at  the 
stage  of  culture  reached,  and  of  which,  therefore,  we  are  not  explicitly  conscious.” 

Three  great  forces  in  society  are  moving  to  this  end:^  I5usiness  interests,  laborers,  and 
woman.  Merchants  are  generally  opposed  to  war.  Mr.  Carnegie  has  said  that  if  any  contro- 
versy arose  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  it  could  be  intrusted 
The  Common  to  the  merchants  of  London  and  New  York,  who  would  settle  it  peacefully  and 
Welfare.  with  honor  to  both  nations.  The  Labor  Party  and  labor  unions  have  continually 

declared  in  favor  of  peace.  Keir  Hardie,  the  leader  of  that  party  in  the  English 
Parliament,  .stated  some  time  ago  that  the  laborers  of  the  world  were  all  opposed  to  war.  Woman 
has  been  and  always  will  be  against  war;  the  more  actively  she  engages  in  world  interests  the 
more  will  she  oppose  war  from  the  standpoint  of  the  home  and  of  society  at  large.  She  is  now 
actii^ely  interested  in  the  proposition  of  a peace  congress  and  other  instrumentalities  looking  to- 
ward permanent  peace.  One  of  the  latest  movements  is  among  the  women  of  the  churches. 
It  seeks  to  emphasize  Christian  ideals  of  peace;  its  purpose  being  expressed  in  the  following 
terms:  “We  do  not  propose  to  enter  into  the  political  side  of  the  question,  but  will  confine 
our  efforts  to  a peace  propaganda  based  on  the  teaching  and  spirit  of  Jesus.  We  submit  no 
elaborate  program,  but  we  will  promise  to  enlist  individuals  and  societies  to  pray  for  an  end  to 
war.  We  will  teach  the  children  in  our  homes  and  churches  Christian  ideals  of  peace  and  he- 
roism. We  will  study  the  New  Testament  and  accept  its  teachings  concerning  peace.  We  will 
endeavor  to  promote  the  understanding  and  friendliness  of  the  nations  by  thinking  of  none  as 
alien,  but  all  as  children  of  our  heavenly  Father.”  ' 

1 For  fuller  discussion  of  this  point,  see  Justice  David  J.  Brewer,  The  Mission  of  the  United 
States, 


25 


An  ideal  that  has  become  actual  even  to  a small  degree,  that  has  passed  from  individual  to 
community  group,  and  from  community  group  to  nation,  will  not  stop  at  national  borders, 
but  will  go  on  until  it  becomes  an  international  reality.  If  the  higher 
Increasing  Christian  moral  sense  awakened  in  the  United  (States  in  recent  years  increases. 
Social  Consciousness,  it  must  effect  other  nations  whose  standard  is  not  on  the  same  plane, 
for  “a  little  leaven  leaveneth  the  whole  lump.”  A great  change  is 
visible*  “to  any  one  who  watches  the  life  of  this  nation  with  an  eye  for  the  stirring  of  God  in  the 
souls  of  men.  There  is  a new  shame  ^nd  anger  for  oppression  and  meanness;  a new  love  and  pity 
for  the  young  and  frad,  whose  slender  shoulders  bear  our  common  weight;  a new  faith  in  human 
brotherhood;  a new  hope  of  a better  day  that  is  even  now  in  sight.  We  are  inventing  new  phrases 
to  name  this  new  thing.  We  talk  of  the  ‘social  feehng’  or  ‘the  new  social  consciousness.’  We  are 
passing  through  a moral  adolescence.  When  the  spirit  of  manhood  comes  over  a boy,  his  tastes 
change.  The  old  doings  of  his  gang  lose  interest.  A new  sense  of  duty,  a new  openness  to  ideal, 
calls,  a new  capacity  of  self-sacrifice  surprise  those  who  used  to  know  him.  So  in  our  conventions 
and  clubs,  our  chambers  of  commerce  and  our  legislatures,  there  is  a new  note,  a stiffening  of  will, 
an  impatience  for  cowardice,  an  enthusiastic  turning  toward  real  democracy.  The  old  leaders 
are  stumbling  off  the  stage  bewildered.  There  is  a new  type  of  leaders,  and  they  and  the  people 
seem  to  tmderstand  one  another  as  if  by  magic.  Were  you  ever  converted  to  God?  Do  you  re- 
member the  change  in  your  attitude  to  all  the  world?  Is  not  this  new  life  which  is  running  through 
our  people  the  same  great  change  on  a national  scale?  This  is  religious  energy,  rising  from  the 
depth  of  the  infinite  spiritual  hfe  in  which  we  all  live  and  move  and  have  our  being.  This  is  God.” 

Society  as  a whole,  and  therefore  the  Christian  groups  forming  a part  of  society,  are  re- 
sponsible for  the  injury  of  any  individual  who  forms  a part  of  the  whole;  for  the  baby  who  dies 
in  its  cradle,  and  the  child  who  is  made  old  by  labor,  for  the  youth  who 
Responsibilities  of  a is  killed  by  consumption,  and  the  yong  girl  whose  purity  is  destroyed,  for 
Christian  Society.  the  degenerate  who  becomes  a criminal,  and  the  soldier  who  is  crippled 
for  life , for  the  mother  whom  a battle  robs  of  her  son,  and  for  the  widow 
and  the  orphans  made  such  by  a government’ s continuation  of  war.  Society  ruled  by  the  Spirit 
of  Christ  cannot  shift  responsibility  for  any  and  for  aU  of  these  things. 

A bureau  of  child  welfare,  playground  associations,  open  air  sanitariums,  social  settlements, 
and  hundreds  of  other  preventative  means  show  a recognition  by  the  state  and  the  community 
of  such  responsibility.  Many  are  the  evidences  of  the  concern  of  Chris- 
Expressions  of  Love  tendom  regarding^  the  present  European  war,  and  many  are  the  efforts 
for  Humanity.  for  ameliorating  its  horrors.  The  contributions  that  have  poured  in 

from  far-distant  peoples  for  the  aid  of  the  sufferers  indicate  the  bond  of 
humanity  felt  to-day  more  strongly  than  ever,  and  will  strengthen  that  bond  for  the  years  to 
come.  “The  Christmas  ship”  sent  from  the  United  States  served  as  a concrete  expression  of  the 
Christ  spirit.  The  Red  Cross  stands  out  as  the  glorj'  of  the  age,  so  long  as  war  has  to  be,  but  the 
humane  feeling  that  originated  and  perpetuates  it  will  surely  seek  to  reduce  the  occasion  for  its 
existence.  Amehoration  must  be  followed  by  prevention  in  war  as  in  other  social  relations. 

The  latest  and  most  important  action  toward  sustaining  amicable  relations  and  averting 
war  between  the  United  States  and  other  nations,  known  as  the  Wdson-Bryan  Peace  Plan,  came 
to  a remarkable  consummation  in  the  first  months  of  the  European  war. 
The  Latest  It  makes  use  of  the  Commission  of  Inquiry,  which  as  a pacific  method  had 

Peace  Movement,  been  discussed  in  the  Hague  Conferences  and  was  first  brought  forward 
by  the  late  Frederick  de  Martens,  the  great  jurisconsult  of  the  Russian 
Ministry  of  Foreign  Affairs,  whose  work  in  international  law  will  contribute  much  in  future  de- 
velopments. Such  a commission  has  three  distinct  advantages:  it  secures  an  investigation  of 
the  disputed  facts,  it  gives  time  for  consideration  before  war  is  declared,  and  it  allows  for  the 
influence  of  public  opinion.  The  proposed  peace  plan  suggested  one  year  for  investigations  before 
any  proposed  hostile  action  should  begin,  and  the  remarkable  result  attained  by  March,  1915 — 
just  two  years  after  the  first  proposition — shows  “Treaties  of  Delay”  in  force  with  eleven  states, 
signed  by* twenty  others,  while  acceptance  in  principle  has  been  made  by  an  additional  five; 
in  all,  thirty-six  governments  which  are  willing  to  learn  the  facts  before  deciding  to  enter  on  war.^ 
In  leading  in  this  action,  the  United  States  has  fulfilled  an  international  social  duty  toward  the 
larger  and  the  smaller  nations  that  may  be  followed  by  others,  until,  in  the  very  postponement 
of  war  through  righteous  methods,  peace  shall  be  established. 

Christian  society  at  large  has  often  lost  sight  of  its  ideal — the  kingdom  of  God  on  earth — 
but  the  day  is  dawning,  even  amid  dark  and  heavy  clouds,  when  after  great  upheaval  and  much 
sacrifice  the  ideal  shall  become  a reality.  The  supreme  motive  and  aspiration  of  Jesus  was  “the 
reign  of  God,”  and — “God  is  love.”  What  is  it  that  will  bring  the  answer  to  the  prayer  “Thy 
kingdom  come”?  When  the  law  of  love  is  fulfilled  in  social  relations,  the  cities  of  the  state  will 
become  “the  city  of  God.” 

UV alter  Rauschenbusch,  Christianizing  the  Social  Order. 

2 Full  information  on  the  Commission  of  Inquiry  and  the  Wilson-Bryan  Peace  Plan  may  be  ob- 
tained from  a pamphlet  by  Denys  P.  Myers,  sent  free  by  the  World  Peace  Foundation,  Boston. 

26 


LESSON  TWELVE 

THE  RESPONSIBILITY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 
Study  Matt.  23.  29-39 

What  is  Christian  patriotism?  Is  there  any  allegiance  that  is  broader  than  that  which  an 
individual  owes  to  his  country?  Does  being  a Christian  modify  one’s  patriotism?  If  so,  how? 

What  are  the  relations  which  a true  follower  of  Jesus  Christ  sustains 
The  Meaning  of  toward  the  other  human  bonds  that  bind  him  to  his  fellow  citizens? 

Christian  Patriotism.  Charles  Sumner  once  said:  “Not  that  I love  country  less,  but  hu- 
manity more,  do  I now  and  here  plead  the  cause  of  a higher  and  truer 
patriotism.  I cannot  forget  that  we  are  men  by  a more  sacred  bond  than  we  are  cit- 
izens, . . . that  we  are  children  of  a common  Father  more  than  we  are  Americans.”  There 
are  common  interests  that  bind  together  all  Americans.  What  are  some  of  the  common  interests 
that  should  bind  together  the  members  of  the  whole  human  family  regardless  of  nationality? 

The  great  difficulty  seems  to  be  not  so  much  that  of  pointing  out  the  human  bonds  that 
transcend  all  nationalities  and  races  as  it  is  that  of  securing  practical  recognition  of  these  bonds 
in  the  everyday  affairs  of  men.  Men  seem  to  understand — to  know — that  they 
The  Practical  all  are  brothers,  but  their  hearts  contain  so  many  selfish  sentiments  that  in  actual 
Difficulty.  conduct  these  ideas  are  crowded  aside.  The  art  of  being  kind  is  not  mastered 
because  the  art  of  maldng  money  or  of  achieving  leadership  monopohzes  prac- 
tically aU  of  one’s  time  and  thought.  Individual  welfare  comes  before  race  welfare  so  much  of 
the  time  that  the  majority  of  man’s  sentiments  are  built  up  around  the  former  rather  than  the 
latter.  Thus  these  narrower  ideas  and  sentiments  become  dominant.  The  ordinary  citizen  is 
so  hmited  in  his  range  of  observation,  interest,  and  sympathy  that  world-ideas  and  world-senti- 
ments fad  to  be  built  up  in  his  hfe. 

The  world  as  a whole  has  not  been  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  ordinary  citizen  in  such 
a way  that  he  feels  world-responsibility.  He  loiows  his  home  and  is  interested  in  it.  He  loves 
A Limited  Sense  works  for  it.  He  knows  his  community  also — not  as  well  as  his 

nf  Poononcihiiitw  home,  perhaps,  but  nevertheless  well  enough  to  feel  a sense  of  respon- 
P sibihty  for  its  welfare.  Now  and  then  national  affairs  are  brought  to  his 

attention  and  he  takes  a part  in  them.  His  sense  of  responsibihty  as  a citizen  is  seen  on  election 
days  and  national  holidays.  But  the  world,  as  such,  has  no  anniversaries  or  election  days.  It  is 
not  as  easy  to  act  the  part  of  a world-citizen  as  it  is  that  of  a citizen  of  a certain  nation  or  city. 
There  are  fewer  ideas  upon  which  or  out  of  which  to  create  intelligent  interest  in  and  a sense  of 
duty  toward  all  the  nations.  Can  a man’s  sense  of  responsibihty  reach  beyond  his  information? 
If  he  does  not  know  the  world,  as  a whole  world,  can  he  be  expected  to  be  active  in  its  behalf? 

In  view  of  the  past  history  of  the  relations  between  nations,  it  is  not  strange  that  the  “ordi- 
nary modest  citizen  in  humble  private  station,  remote  from  the  diplomatic  circles  of  Washington, 
is  inclined  to  imagine  that  affairs  of  international  magnitude  do  not 
The  Responsibility  concern  him,  that  they  belong  to  the  secrets  of  state,  that  his  ignorance 
of  the  Obscure  and  lack  of  pohtical  influence  excuse  him  from  responsibility  in  such 

Christian  Citizen.  high  and  complicated  matters.”  But  one  of  the  great  needs  of  the  present 

hour  is  to  make  all  such  private  citizens  see  their  vital  relation  to  such 
affairs.  In  a nation  where  the  government  is  of  the  people,  by  the  people,  and  for  the  people, 
aU  of  the  activities  of  the  government,  international  as  well  as  internal,  should  be  a concern  of 
the  people.  The  goverrunent  should  be  servant,  and  not  master.  It  should  be  treated  as  such. 
The  obscurity  of  a citizen  does  not  sever  his  vital  relationships  to  his  government.  The  inter- 
national relations  of  a nation  should  reflect  the  conscience  and  the  intelligence  of  its  citizens. 

The  individual  whose  spirit  is  that  of  helpfulness  and  brotherliness  is  confronted  with  a 
task  unknown  in  ancient  times.  It  is  this:  How  can  I project  this  attitude  of  good  will,  of  in- 
telligent interest,  so  that  it  wiU  benefit  all  those  who  are  within  reach? 
How  Can  Good  Will  For  one  individual  to  help  another  in  this  direct  way  seems  to  be  a 
Become  Efficient?  simple  matter,  and  it  was  before  the  time  of  the  complex  modern  rela- 
tionships. But  rescue  work  is  now  done  by  well-organized  missions. 
It  is  in  the  hospitals  that  the  sick  and  wounded  are  best  cared  for.  The  ultimate  causes  of  the 
excessive  burdens  carried  by  the  fainting — ^who  can  discover?  The  efficient  moral  as  well  as  in- 
dustrial units  are  constantly  enlarging.  In  national  affairs  the  one  who  seeks  to  work  independ- 
ently of  his  fellow  citizens  lacks  prudence.  Cooperation  is  the  watchword  of  the  hour.  To  further 
the  cause  of  peace  most  effectively,  it  is  necessary  to  work  with  peace  agencies.  The  man  with 
a right  motive  must  still  find  the  right  group  with  whom  to  work.  To  what  extent  is  the  opposi- 
tion to  the  peace  movement  organized?  How  may  the  methods  of  this  opposition  be  met? 

The  progress  of  civilization  reveals  the  fact  that  an  increasingly  large  number  of  people  are 
Practical  lookii^S  upon  social  ideals  from  the  standpoint  of  actual  present  conditions.  It  is 
Idealism  greatest  and  most  remote  visions  who  is  apt  to  secure  the 

■ largest  number  of  followers.  The  one  who  is  merely  visionary  is  sure  to  be  unpop- 
ular. He  is  looked  upon  with  suspicion.  The  other-worldly  saint  is  sure  to  be  reminded  of  the 

27 


Does  God  Use  Nations 
as  Instruments 
of  Righteousness? 


•victories  and  defeats  of  the  cause  of  truth  in  this  world.  The  true  saint  does  not  pray  to 
Vje  taken  out  of  the  present  world,  but  to  be  saved  from  the  evil  that  is  near  at  hand.  The 
real  task  is  to  Christianize  the  present  order  of  affairs.  God  is  deeply  interested  in  things  as 
they  are.  He  is  imminent  in  the  present-day  forces  that  make  for  peace  and  righteousness. 
To  ignore  these  forces  is  to  ignore  him.  Wholly  to  sejiarate  oneself  from  the  world  is  to  make 
cooperation  with  God  impossible,  kiainthood,  to  be  genuine,  must  have  practical  value.  How 
can  Christian  people  be  made  to  feel  that  they  are  a vital  part  of  the  kingdom  of  God  enterprise, 
and  that  the  defeat  of  the  cause  of  peace  is  in  a true  sense  their  own  jjcrsonal  and  individual  de- 
feat? 

The  death  of  the  patriot  on  the  battlefield  is  no  longer  looked  ujjon  as  the  symbol  of  the 
highest  patriotic  devotion  of  a citizen.  The  nation’s  crises  are  not  always  sudden  and  sjrec- 
tacular.  The  most  gigantic  conflicts  are  often  those  that  involve  ideas  and  con- 
The  Life  of  victions  that  have  slowly  become  enthroned  in  the  hearts  of  a multitude  and 
the  Patriot,  crystallized  in  a morally  courageous  leader.  What  facts  make  it  easier  to  die  for 
one’s  country  than  to  live  for  it?  How  can  patriotic  living  become  more  iwp- 
ular  and  prevalent  than  it  now  is?  Until  men  and  women  catch  the  spirit  of  Saint  Paul  and  arc 
willing  to  die  daily  (see  1 Cor.  15.  31)  for  the  cause  of  Christ,  the  greatest  enemies  of  humanity 
will  not  be  overthrown. 

Is  it  right  for  a Christian,  under  any  circumstances,  to  take  ujr  arms?  If  so,  v/hat  are  some 
of  these  circumstances?  If  a nation  is  bent  on  evil  and  undertakes,  aggressively,  to  place  its 
own  interests  in  opposition  to  those  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  what 
else  is  there  for  a Christian  citizen  to  do  but  to  become  a part  of  an 
organized  force  that  seeks  to  resist  the  aggressor?  Channing  once 
said:  “When  a government  becomes  an  engine  of  oppression,  the 
Scriptures  enjoin  subjection  no  longer.  Exjredicncy  may  make  it 
our  duty  to  obey,  but  the  govermnent  has  lost  its  rights:  it  can  no  longer  urge  its  claims  as  an 
ordinance  of  God.”  The  prophets  of  Israel  were  accustomed  to  think  of  God  as  using  one  nation 
as  an  instrument  by  which  to  punish  another . As  a result  of  the  wickedness  of  Israel,  God,  speak- 
ing through  his  prophet  Amos,  said:  “For,  behold,  I will  raise  rijr  against  you  a nation,  O house 
of  Israel,  saith  Jehovah,  the  God  of  hosts;  and  they  shall  afflict  you  from  the  entrance  of  Hamath 
unto  the  brook  of  the  Arabah”  (Amos  6.  14).  How  is  it  possible  to  reconcile  this  proiflictic  utter- 
ance with  Jesus’s  thought  contained  in  the  parable  of  the  wheat  and  taros  (see  Matt.  13.  24-30)? 

One  of  the  greatest  immediate  needs  in  the  further  advancement  of  the  cause  of  international 
peace  is  that  each  individual  citizen  find  a rehgious — -indeed,  a Christian — motive  for  all  of  his 
political  acts.  National  consciousness  should  bo  permeated  with  a sense 
A Divine  Plan  for  of  a national  destiny  that  is  appointed  of  God.  The  truly  Christian  citizen 
Every  Nation.  should  be  al)lo  to  discover  and  to  apineciate  the  hand  of  God  in  the  history 
of  his  own  nation.  In  a real  sense  one’s  native  country  should  seem  to  be 
called  of  God  to  make  a definite  contribution  to  the  welfare  of  the  race.  The  Jews  never  thought 
of  their  nation  as  being  outside  of  the  jjlans  and  clearly  announced  i)uri)ose  of  God.  What  is 
God’s  will  for  the  United  States  of  America  as  related  to  the  other  nations? 

It  is  this  definite  conception  of  God’s  purpose  for  a nation  that  helps  to  establish  a standard 
of  national  conduct.  The  ancient  Hebrew  citizens  and  statesmen  judged  of  the  meaning  of  the 
national  events  from  the  point  of  view  of  their  bearing  upon  the  nation’s  ful- 
filling its  divine  mission.  Their  devotion  to  their  nation  reflected  their  lo3nlty 
to  Jehovah.  The  two  were  inseparable.  National  prosperity  and  safety  were 
thought  of  as  dependent  upon  ol)cdience  to  God.  God’s  particular  interest  in 
them  as  a nation  increased  their  political  responsibilities.  The  gravest  national 
danger  was  that  the  citizens  might  forget  God.  The  highest  credential  of  patriotism  was  religious 
fidelity.  The  most  terrible  arraignment  of  the  Jewish  nation  was  si)oken  by  Christ,  as  he  viewed 
the  capital  city:  “Alas  for  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites,  for  you  repair  the  sepulchers 
of  the  prophets  and  keep  in  order  the  tomlrs  of  the  righteous,  and  your  boast  is,  ‘If  we  had  lived 
in  the  time  of  our  forefathers,  we  should  not  have  been  implicated  with  them  in  the  murder  of 
the  prophets.’  iSo  that  you  bear  witness  against  yourselves  that  you  are  descendants  of  those 
who  murdered  the  prophets.  Fill  up  the  measure  of  your  forefather’s  guilt.  O serjients,  0 vipers’ 
brood,  how  are  you  to  escape  condemnation  to  Gehenna?  For  this  reason  I am  sending  to  you 
irrophets  and  wise  men  and  scribes.  Some  of  them  you  will  put  to  death — na3^  crucify;  some  of 
them  you  will  flog  in  your  synagogues  and  chase  from  town  to  town;  that  all  the  innocent  blood 
shed  upon  earth  may  come  on  you,  from  the  blood  of  righteous  Abel  to  the  blood  of  Zechariah 
the  son  of  Berechiah  whom  you  murdered  between  the  sanctuary  and  the  altar.  I tell  you  in 
solemn  truth  that  all  these  things  will  come  upon  the  jrresent  generation.  O Jerusalem,  Jeru- 
salem, thou  who  murderest  the  prophets  and  stonest  those  rvho  have  been  sent  to  thee!  how 
often  have  I desired  to  gather  thy  children  to  me,  just  as  a hen  gathers  her  chickens  under  her 
wings,  and  you  would  not  come!  See,  your  house  will  now  be  left  to  you  desolate!  For  I tell 
you  that  you  will  never  see  me  again  until  you  say,  ‘Blessed  be  He  who  comes  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord’  ” (Matt.  23.  29-39).  What  national  events  have  furthered  the  divine  purpose  for  me? 

28 


The  Fusing 
of  Patriotism 
and  Religion. 


LESSON  THIRTEEN 

CHRIST  THE,  ASSURANCE  OF  PERMANENT  INTERNATIONAL  GOOD-WILL 

Study  Rev.  21.  1-8 

Of  all  the  leaders  of  the  peace  movement  there  is  none  whose  influence  is  coinjiarable  with 
that  of  Jesus  Christ.  His  influence  upon  men  is  such  that  he  has  earned  the  title  “Prince  of 
Peace.”  One  of  the  fundamental  truths  of  his  kingdom  as  enunciated  in 
Jesus  Christ  the  the  sermon  on  the  moimt  is:  Blessed  are  the  peacemakers,  for  it  is  they 
Prince  of  Peace,  who  will  be  recognized  as  sons  of  God.  At  his  birth  a multitude  of  the 
heavenly  army  sang  a hymn  of  praise:  “Glory  to  God  in  the  highest  heavens, 
and  on  earth  peace  among  men  who  jdease  him!”  And  the  marvelous  fact  is  that  in  the  course 
of  the  centuries  the  singing  of  this  hymn  on  this  occasion  is  becoming  more  and  more  wddely 
recognized  as  being  approi)riate  in  view  of  his  character  and  ministry.  As  the  world’s  burden  of 
militarism  increases  and  as  the  destructiveness  of  modern  warfare  becomes  more  appalling,  it 
is  coming  to  be  more  evident  that  the  only  adequate  ground  for  hope  of  the  ultimate  reign  of 
peace  on  earth  is  the  one  of  whom  Paul  wrote:  He  is  our  peace. 

The  message  of  Jesus  to  the  men  of  his  day  was  one  of  reconciliation  and  restoration.  The 
most  emphatic  note  in  his  message  was  that  of  love  which  unites  man  to  God  and  man  to  his 
fellow  men.  He  intensified  the  bonds  of  brotherhood.  He  taught  men  to 
Jesus’s  Emphasis  forgive  one  another.  He  set  lief  ore  his  disciples  a seemingly  impossible 
Upon  Love.  task  in  the  following:  “I  command  you  all,  love  your  enemies,  and  pray 

for  your  persecutors;  that  so  you  may  become  true  sons  of  your  Father  in 
heaven”  (Matt.  5.  44).  The  best  short  summary  of  his  teaching  is  found  in  his  reply  to  one  of 
the  scribes:  “The  chief  commandment,”  rejfiied  Jesus,  “is  this:  Hear,  O Lsrael!  the  Lord  our 
God  is  one  Lord;  and  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  thy  whole  heart,  thy  whole  soul, 
thy  whole  mind,  and  thy  whole  strength”  (Dent.  G.  4,  5).  “The  second  is  this:  ‘Thou  shalt  love 
thy  fellow  man  as  thou  lovest  thyself’  ” (Lev.  19.  10).  “Other  commandments  greater  than  these 
there  is  none”  (Mark  12.  29-31).  What  is  the  difference  between  “fellow  man”  and  “neighbor”? 

It  is  significant  that  when  the  hostile  Jews  wished  to  turn  public  sentiment  against  Jesus, 
one  of  the  methods  used  was  to  accuse  him  of  excessive  hospitality.  He  W'as  friendly  to  social 
outcasts.  “See  this  man,”  they  exclaimed,  “a  friend  of  tax  gatherers  and  no- 
A Spirit  of  torious  sinners”  (Matt.  10.  19).  His  sympathy  w'as  so  broad  that  it  included 

Friendliness,  those  who  were  usually  thought  of  as  being  unworthy  of  friendly  treatment. 

He  drew  men  to  himself  with  such  bonds  of  personal  loyalty  that  they  faced 
death  rather  than  give  up  their  allegiance  to  him.  Those  who  caught  his  spirit  were  bound  to- 
gether into  a society  the  vitality  of  which  is  seen  in  the  world-wide  Christian  fraternity  of  to-day. 
He  said  to  his  followers:  “You  are  my  friends.”  “It  is  not  you  who  chose  me,  but  it  is  I who 
chose  you”  (John  15.  14,  15).  This  spirit  of  Christian  friendliness  is  gradually  laying  the  founda- 
tion of  a social  organization  that  will  endure  forever  and  which  wall  include  the  entire  human 
race.  What  political  kingdom,  founded  at  the  time  of  Jesus’s  earthly  ministry,  has  continued 
until  to-day?  Are  kingdoms  founded  on  love  more  endurino'  thnn  those^founded  upon  force? 

Jesus  Christ  took  upon  himself  the  burden  of  the  worldTh  to  inj,.'- a divine  appreciation 
of  the  fact  that  hatred,  strife,  mutual  distrust,  selfishness,  greed,  forms  of  sin  stand  in 

the  way  of  the.  reign  of  peace  among  men.  Hence  his  passionate  endeavor 
Jesus  as  the  to  rid  the  human  heart  of  these  weaknesses.  It  is  sin  that  makes  it  im- 

Saviour  from  Sin.  possible  for  men  to  appreciate  that  fullness  of  life,  that  life  in  Christ, 
which  is  naturally  peaceable,  gentle,  kind,  and  charitable.  For  all  indi- 
viduals who  have  come  to  have  an  appreciation  of  the  true  nature  of  sin  and  have  earnestly  de- 
sired to  be  free  from  its  blighting  influence,  Jesus  Christ  has  provided  a way  of  salvation.  It  is 
because  of  his  power  to  save  men  from  those  passions  and  other  weaknesses  that  lead  to  w^ar 
tliat  he  has  made  possible  a vision  of  a world-wide  society  founded  upon  brotherly  kindness, 
justice,  and  righteousness.  It  is  he  who  has  opened  up  a way  for  intimate  communion  and  fellow- 
ship between  every  member  of  all  the  nations  of  earth  and  the  God  of  justice,  mercy,  and  truth. 
He  revealed  a Father’s  divine  love  and  taught  men  how  to  reciprocate  that  love.  What  hope  of 
final  w'orld-peace  can  there  be  as  long  as  men  in  gveat  numbers  are  content  to  live  sinful  lives? 
Will  the  awful  destructiveness  of  modern  warfare  give  the  world  a new  appreciation  of  sin  and  its 
results?  Does  w^ar  have  any  effect  upon  the  religious  life  of  a nation? 

Wherever  the  teachings  of  Christ  have  gone  and  men  have  seriously  undertaken  to  live  in 
accordance  wdth  them,  there  has  resulted  a new  appreciation  of  the  worth  of  human  life.  Tender- 
ness has  marked  the  new  attitude  toward  childhood;  womankind  has  been 
The  Christian  treated  with  respect,  the  sacredness  of  the  family  has  been  established;  a 
Appreciation  of  sense  of  responsibility  for  the  welfare  of  the  neighborhood  and  community 
Human  Values,  has  been  quickened;  labor  has  taken  on  new  dignity;  waste  and  destruction 
of  natural  resources  have  been  condemned;  parenthood  has  been  purified  and 
exalted;  in  fact,  all  of  the  natural  human  relationships  have  had  a higher  ajipreciation.  The 
result  is  that  anything  that  tends  to  mar  or  destroy  them  meets  with  a new  resistance.  In  the 

29 


time  of  savagery  men  did  not  oppose  war  on  moral  grounds.  It  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that 
with  the  advancement  of  Christianity  the  opposition  to  war  will  become  increasingly  determined 
and  persistent?  What  assurance  is  there  that  it  will  finally  become  adequate  to  abolish  war  as 
a method  of  settliirg  international  differences?  Has  Christianity  failed  in  those  nations  that 
are  aggressors  in  beginning  war? 

One  of  the  results  of  the  influence  of  Jesus  Christ  is  that  his  followers  discover  an  ever-en- 
larging number  of  bonds  that  unite  them  to  all  members  of  the  human  family.  However,  the 
bonds  already  recognized  are  given  a higher  moral  quahty.  There  was  no  in- 
Christ’s  Law  dividual  with  whom  Jesus  came  in  contact  who  might  not  have  been  benefited 
of  Service.  by  him.  He  pitied  the  poor  and  the  needy;  he  comforted  those  m distress;  he 
helped  those  who  were  in  need  of  assistance;  he  expressed  appreciation  of  and 
admiration  for  those  whose  personal  worth  warranted  it.  The  deepest  motive  m all  his  conduct 
was  to  do  good  to  others.  His  immediate  followers  reflected  this  benevolent  attitude.  What  is 
to  prevent  its  becoming  characteristic  of  all  manldud?  Which  will  ultimately  prevail,  the  Chris- 
tian standard  of  service  or  the  heathen  standard  of  lordship  and  domination?  “Jesus  called  them 
to  him,  and  said,  ‘You  know  that  the  rulers  of  the  Gentiles  lord  it  over  them,  and  their  great 
men  exercise  authority  over  them.  Not  so  shall  it  be  among  you;  but  whoever  desh-es  to  be  first 
among  you  shall  I)e  your  servant,  and  whoever  desires  to  be  first  among  you  shall  be  yom-  bond- 
servant;  just  as  the  Son  of  man  came  not  to  be  served,  but  to  serve,  and  to  give  his  hfe  as  the 
redemption  price  for  many’  ” (Matt.  20.  25-28). 

It  would  seem  that  Christianity  is  absolutely  opposed  to  the  principle  of  superiority  through 
force.  The  two  are  eternally  contradictory.  Wilham  Leighton  Crane  says:  “One  thing  seems 
certain.  Not  this  nation  or  that,  but  the  whole  civilized  world  will  ere  long 
Christ  or  Force,  be  forced  to  a decision  between  the  ruinous  worship  of  Force  and  the  benefi- 
cent worship  of  God.  Two  masters  cannot  be  served  forever.  Two  oppo- 
site opinions  cannot  be  eternally  maintained.  The  time  comes  when  it  is  no  longer  possible  to 
continue  to  keep  both,  and  it  is  necessary  to  ally  oneself  with  either  one  or  the  other.  No  com- 
promise is  jiossible  between  Christ  and  Nietzsche.  Multitudes  even  now  are  mustering  in  the 
Valley  of  Decision.  And  before  them  lies  the  most  momentous  choice  yet  proposed  in  the  course 
of  the  social  evolution  of  the  world.” 

It  is  estimated  that  “the  clergy  of  the  United  States  number  approximately  175,000,  and 
there  are,  perhaps,  about  three  times  as  many  in  Europe,  exclusive  of  Russia — 700,000  in  all” 
The  Influence  George  Holley  Gilbert,  The  Bible  and  Universal  Peace,  page  203).  The 

of  the  Church  influence  of  this  great  body  of  educated  men  upon  public  opinion  is  a factor 
of  Christ  must  be  taken  into  accoimt.  These  ministers  and  their  successors  will 

■ exert  a vast  influence  upon  the  thoughts  and  the  convictions  of  Christendom. 

The  powerful  influence  of  religion  as  a motive  in  conduct  has  already  been  well  illustrated  in  the 
so-called  “religious  wars.”  Back  of  the  Crusades  was  the  desire  to  rescue  the  Holy  Land  from 
the  infidels,  who  had  political  control  of  it.  Is  the  desire  to  protect  human 
hfe  from  the  further  ravages  of  war  a cause  less  holy?  Is  not  God  eagerly 
^ying  aid  to  those  who  labor  in  it?  If  the  followers  of  Jesus  Christ  become 
ion  ofde  fact  that  war  must  be  abolished  before  the  kingdom  of  God 
ttvj.i  ue' established  among  men,  and  that  in  the  advancement  of  that  king- 
dom their  immediate  duty  is  to  estabhsh  the  substitutes  for  w^ar,  what  resources  will  become 
available  for  the  peace  movement?  If  all  the  Christian  resources  of  intelligence,  material  wealth, 
personal  influence  with  men,  and  prayer  were  concentrated  upon  the  solution  of  this  problem, 
how  long  woidd  it  remain  unsolved?  The  solution  of  every  such  question  is,  ultimately,  moral. 
Is  Christianity  yet  fully  convinced  of  the  inherent  wickedness  of  war? 

One  of  the  powerful  forces  now  at  work  in  human  life — in  as  far  as  that  life  has  come  under 
the  sway  of  the  gospel  message — is  the  hope  and  eager  expectation  of  the  final  triumph  of  Jesus 
Christ.  This  vision  of  hope  quickens  the  imagination  and  stimulates 
The  New  Heaven  and  innumerable  desires.  “Come,  Lord  Jesus;  hasten  thy  coming,”  is  the 
the  New  Earth.  thought  frequently  heard  from  the  pious  lips  of  prayerful  Christians. 

The  vision  of  John  seems  to  be  not  inappropriate  as  one  meditates 
on  this  ultimate  triumph  of  good  will. 

It  is  the  Christian’s  hope  that  some  day  the  recognized  dwelling  place  of  God  will  be  among 
men.  He  will  dwell  among  them.  They  shall  be  recognized  as  his  people.  But  before  that  day, 
the  intense  spirit  of  modern  nationalism  must  enlarge  until  it  takes  in  all 
Jesus  Christ  the  nations.  The  vision  of  world-wide  fraternity  will  have  to  be  universally 
Ultimate  Hope.  appreciated.  The  courage  and  self-sacrifice  now  finding  expression  in  war 
will  find  other  kinds  of  activity  that  will  in  no  way  lessen  their  moral  value. 
World  organization  must  be  an  accomplished  fact  before  death,  sorrow,  the  wail  of  woe  and  pain 
shall  have  passed  away.  Interracial  appreciation  and  good  will  must  gradually  permeate  all 
peoples.  At  the  very  heart  of  this  broad  movement  is  Jesus  Christ.  Its  efficient  cause  is  found 
in  the  individual’s  loyalty  to  him.  Wherever  this  relationship  is  intelligent  and  vital,  the  con- 
ditions of  permanent  peace  are  fulfilled.  Why  is  this  the  great  immediate  task  of  the  church? 

30 


The  Religious 
Motive  of  the 
Peace  Movement. 


Christianity  and  Peace  in  Lake  Mohonk  Reports 

The  following  is  an  index  of  the  addresses  and  remarks  on  Christianity  and  the  peace  move- 
ment in  the  twenty  Reports  of  Lake  Mohonk  Conferences  on  International  Arbitration,  1895- 
1914.  These  reports  are  in  the  majority  of  the  hbraries  of  the  United  States.  Quotation  marks 
signify  titles  of  formal  addresses. 


Christ,  conquests  of,  remarks,  1900,  28. 
Christian — 

“Contribution  Which,  Churches  Can  Make 
to  International  Good  Will,”  address  by 
Very  Rev.  W.  Moore  Ede,  1910,  49. 
Endeavor  movement,  address  by  John 
' Wilhs  Baer,  1900,  61;  resolution  concern- 
ing, 1900,  111. 

“Endeavor  Society’s  Work  for  Peace,”  ad- 
dress by  Amos  R.  Wells,  1899,  84. 

“Idea  of  Peace  More  and  More  Prevaihng,” 
comment  of  Merrill  E.  Gates,  1895,  64. 
“Outlook,”  address  by  Rev.  George  Dana 
Boardman,  1899,  58. 

powers,  attitude  of,  toward  peace,  1912,  165. 
“Relation  of  the  Young  Men’s — Associa- 
tion to  the  International  Arbitration 
Movement,”  address  of  John  R.  Mott, 
1908,  164. 

“Student  Movement  and  International 
Peace,”  address  by  John  R.  Mott,  1914, 
195. 

Christianity — 

and  backward  races,  remarks  of  Felix  Adler, 
1900,  76. 

and  patriotism,  remarks  by  Rev.  S.  E. 
Eastman,  1909,  117. 

and  the  peace  movement,  remarks,  1903, 

33,  70,  97,  117. 

“and  the  Peace  Movement,”  address  of 
Canon  Alexander  Giesswein,  1913,  54. 
and  war,  address  by  William  S.  Clark,  1900, 

, 24;  remarks  by  William  H.  Seward,  1900, 

32;  address  of  Rev.  Charles  E.  Jefferson, 
D.D.,  1900,  99;  remarks  of  Rev.  Charles 
F.  Dole,  1901,  37;  remarks  of  Judge  J.  N. 
Stiness,  1901,  97. 

Church — 

attitude  of,  remarks  by  Rev.  Reuen  Thomas, 
1899,  65. 

“as  a Factor  in  Racial  Relations,”  address 
by  Rev.  Sidney  L.  Gulick,  1914,  200. 

“and  Internationalism,”  address  by  Rev. 

Frederick  Lynch,  1909,  77. 

“and  the  New  International  Order,”  ad- 
dress by  Rev.  Charles  R.  Brown,  1914, 
205. 

“Peace  League,”  address  of  Rev.  Frederick 
Lynch,  1912,  196. 

Peace  Union,  remarks  concerning,  1914,  9, 

34,  188-189,  222. 

Work  of — for  international  peace,  remarks, 
1913,  52-59;  1914,  9,  42,  188-209. 


Churches — 

“The  Ability  and  Duty  of  the — to  Aid 
More  Actively  the  Arbitration  and  Peace 
Movement,”  address  of  Rev.  Francis  H. 
Rowley,  D.D.,  1908,  159. 

American  Association  of  Ministers  to  Pro- 
mote Peace  organized,  1902,  123-124. 
“Associated  Councils  of  English  and  Ger- 
man,” remarks  by  J.  Allen  Baker,  M.P., 

1911  154. 

in  Canada,  1914,  31. 

“Canadian,  and  Peace,”  address  of  Rev. 

WiUiam  Sparling,  D.D.,  1911,  163. 
charged  with  neglect  of  peace  movement, 
1909,  77-81,  82,  117;  defended,  1909,  114, 
123. 

Christian,  part  of,  in  relation  to  peace, 
1911,  140. 

Duty  of,  in  regard  to  peace,  remarks  of 
John  B.  Garrett,  1902,  115,  123-124; 
1908,  159;  1911,  140-170;  remarks  by 
Edwin  Ginn,  1913,  27. 

“Duty  of,  in  Regard  to  International  Peace,” 
address  of  Rev.  Wilham  Thomas,  1910,  55. 
“Duty  of,  in  Reference  to  International 
Peace,”  address  by  Rev.  John  Clifford, 
1911,  147. 

in  England,  1914,  9,  189. 

Federal  Council  of,  of  Christ  in  America, 

1911,  158-9,  161-3;  1912,  196-199;  rela- 
tion of,  to  international  arbitration,  1912, 
137-142;  work  of,  for  international  peace, 

1912,  196-199. 

“Federal  Council  of,”  remarks  by  Rev. 

E.  B.  Sanford,  D.D.,  1911,  161;  1914,  188. 
“German,  and  International  Peace,”  re- 
marks by  F.  Siegmund-Schultze,  1911, 
145;  comment,  1914,  9,  189. 

“How,  Should  Consider  Peace,”  remarks  by 
Rev.  Charles  E.  Jefferson,  D.D.,  1911,  168. 
“and  International  Arbitration,”  address  of 
Dr.  George  Edward  Reed,  1909,  123. 
international  conference  of,  1914,  9,  189. 
and  peace  movement,  1908,  159-164;  1910, 
25,  49-57,  126;  resolution  on,  1910,  10, 
135;  urged  to  more  active  work,  1910,  10; 
1914_,  188. 

“Relation  of,  to  International  Arbitration,” 
address  of  Rev.  Joseph  Silverman,  D.D., 

1912  137 

in  Switzerland,  1914,  9,  189. 

“Work  of  Buffalo — for  Peace,”  remarks  by 
Frank  F.  Williams,  1911,  169. 

Work  of,  for  peace  in  United  States,  1911, 
21,  157-162,  169;  1913,  52-59. 


31 


Organizations  Supplying  Literature 

American  Association  for  International  Conciliation,  organized  1906. 
Secretary,  Frederick  P.  Keppel,  407  West  117th  Street,  New  York  City. 
Pamphlet  publications,  beginning  in  April,  1907,  distributed  free  up  to  the 
limit  of  editions. 

American  Peace  Society,  founded  1815-1828.  Secretary,  Benjamin  F. 
Truel)lood;  executive  director,  Arthur  Deerin  Call,  Colorado  Building,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.  The  “Advocate  of  Peace,”  a monthly  publication,  is  the  organ 
of  the  society.  The  subscrijition  price  is  $1  per  year.  From  this  society  may  be 
oljtained  many  jramphlets  and  reports. 

American  Society  for  the  Judicial  Settlement  of  International  Disputes, 
founded  in  1910.  Secretary,  James  Brown  Scott,  2 Jackson  Place,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.  Pamphlet  publications,  issued  quarterly,  are  sent  free  to  any  ad- 
dress. Ajrplications  should  be  made  to  the  assistant  secretary,  Tunstall 
Smith,  The  Preston,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Church  Peace  Union,  founded  by  Andrew  Carnegie,  1913.  Secretary, 
Rev.  Frederick  Lynch,  D.D.,  70  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York.  Issues  a series  of 
pain])lilets  with  the  general  title  of  “The  Church  and  International  Peace,” 
•aiul  other  publications;  sent  free  on  request. 

Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  105  East  22d 
Street,  New  ^'ork  City.  Dr.  Charles  S.  Macfarland,  Secretary.  Literature 
su])plied  through  the  Commission  on  Peace  and  Arbitration.  Sidney  L. 
Ciulick,  Associate  Secretary. 

National  Peace  Council.  Secretary,  Carl  Heath,  167  St.  Stephen’s 
House,  Westminster,  S.  W.,  London.  A central  body,  representing  180  or- 
ganizations. Publishes  many  pamphlets. 

’fhe  Peace  Society,  founded  in  1816.  Secretary,  Dr.  W.  Evans  Darby,  47 
New  Broad  Street,  London,  E.  C.  Publishes  many  pamphlets. 

\\’orld  Peace  Foundation,  founded  by  Edwin  Ginn,  of  Boston,  in  1909,  as 
the  International  School  of  Peace;  reorganized  and  incorporated  under  the 
present  name  in  1910.  Chief  director,  Edwin  D.  Mead,  40  Mt.  Vernon  Street, 
Boston,  Mass.  Publishes  a series  of  pamphlets  and  the  volumes  of  an  In- 
ternational Library.  Single  copies  of  the  pamphlet  issues  may  be  obtained 
gratuitously. 

World’s  Student  Christian  Federation  (Federation  Universelle  des  Etu- 
diants  Chretiens),  the  outgrowth  of  the  international  activities  of  the  Y.  M. 
C.  A.  The  moving  spirit  is  Dr.  John  R.  Mott,  and  the  central  office  is  in  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  Building  at  124  East  28th  Street,  New  York.  Organ:  “The 
Student  World,”  quarterly,  per  annum  25  cents.  Dr.  Mott  is  also  president 
of  the  “Continuation  Committee”  of  the  World  Missionary  Conference  of 
All  Protestant  Churches,  office  100  Princes  Street,  Edinburgh,  which  pub- 
li.shes  quarterly  “The  International  Review  of  Missions.” 

World’s  Young  Women’s  Christian  Association.  Office  of  general  sec- 
retary, 26  George  Street,  Hanover  Square,  London.  Organ:  “The  World’s 
Y.  W.  C.  A.  Quarterly;”  subscription,  per  annum,  6d. 

32 


